Pope Francis met Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, the young Christian woman from Sudan who had been condemned to death in her country for apostasy but whose sentence was overturned due to pressure from the international community. On Thursday morning, 24 July, she and her husband Daniel Wani and their two children — Martin, a year and a half, and Maya, born in prison two months ago — were received by the Pope at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. With them was also Italian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Lapo Pistelli, who had gone to Sudan the day before to complete negotiations and accompany Meriam and her family to Italy, from where they will then be relocated to the United States. Also present at the meeting was Msgr Yohannis Gaid, the Pope’s private secretary. The heart-warming meeting lasted half an hour. The Pope thanked Meriam and her family for their courageous testimony of perseverance in the faith. And Meriam expressed her gratitude to the Pontiff for his support and comfort in prayer. At the end of the meeting Pope Francis greeted the Italian authorities accompanying Meriam’s family during their stay in Rome. In this encounter the Holy Father wished to demonstrate his care, attention and prayers for all who suffer for their faith, above all for Christians under persecution and those whose religious freedom is being abused.