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Vatican to digitalize manuscripts relating to Persian Gulf

Posted June 04, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Pope Francis and Qatar's Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser exchange gifts during a private audience at the Vatican, Saturday, June 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool) The Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) - The Vatican has signed an agreement with Qatar to digitalize Vatican manuscripts relating to the Persian Gulf and other Islamic regions.

The agreement was signed Saturday following a private papal audience with Sheika Mozah bint Nasser, the president of the Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. The documents are among 8,000 manuscripts in the Vatican Library that are part of a digitalization project.

The Vatican said the sheika met with Pope Francis for 30 minutes, informing him of "the grave situation of schools in the various areas of conflict."

She gave the pope a decorated Arabic manuscript of the Gospels produced in 18th Century Ottoman Turkey, while the pope gave her a medallion depicting the olive tree of peace and an Arabic edition of his encyclical on the environment.

Pope Francis meets Qatar's Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser, during a private audience at the Vatican, Saturday, June 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool) The Associated Press

Pope Francis and Qatar's Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser leave at the end of a private audience at the Vatican, Saturday, June 4, 2016. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool) The Associated Press

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