Pope Francis made the visit to Hungary to celebrate the closing mass of the International Eucharistic Congress, a Catholic event that takes place every four years. However, the timing of his visit coincided with Hungary’s new anti-LGBTQ+ laws that ban the depiction of homosexuality and transgenderism to minors.

The legislation has faced strong opposition from human rights groups and the European Union, which has launched legal action against Hungary.

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The Pope did not directly address the new law in his public speeches, but he did meet with Hungarian President Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, both of whom are staunchly anti-LGBTQ+. The meeting with Orban was described as “cordial” by the Vatican, but no details of their conversation were released.

The Pope’s comments on migration and his plea for more openness are in line with his previous statements on the issue. He has frequently called for more compassion and understanding towards migrants, refugees, and other vulnerable groups. In 2016, he visited the Greek island of Lesbos to draw attention to the plight of migrants and refugees stranded there.