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Europe

Pope Francis to receive prestigious Charlemagne Prize

Associated Press
Published | Updated
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    German Chancellor Angela Merkel sits at a table with Pope Francis during their private meeting at the Vatican, Friday, May 6, 2016. Merkel is in Italy to attend a ceremony at the Vatican to give Pope Francis the International Charlemagne Prize for his message of tolerance, solidarity and encouragement. (Alberto Pizzoli/Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

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    German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the St. Damaso courtyard at the Vatican ahead of her private meeting with Pope Francis, Friday, May 6, 2016. Merkel is in Italy to attend a ceremony at the Vatican to give Pope Francis the International Charlemagne Prize for his message of tolerance, solidarity and encouragement. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

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    German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives at the St. Damaso courtyard at the Vatican ahead of her private meeting with Pope Francis, Friday, May 6, 2016. Merkel is in Italy to attend a ceremony at the Vatican to give Pope Francis the International Charlemagne Prize for his message of tolerance, solidarity and encouragement. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis has been presented with the International Charlemagne Prize, one of Europe's most prestigious prizes, for his "message of hope and encouragement."

Francis held a private audience Friday morning with European parliament president Martin Schulz, a former Charlemagne Prize recipient, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Junker and EU Council President Donald Tusk, ahead of the midday ceremony. He also met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Charlemagne prize is awarded annually by the German city of Aachen for contributions to European unity. Previous winners include former U.S. President Bill Clinton and St. John Paul II, who received a special edition of the prize in 2004.

The Holy Roman emperor Charlemagne once ruled a large swath of western Europe from Aachen, near the Belgian border.