Pope Francis calls wine ‘gift from God’

Italian wine producers gathered at the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Francis—and at the initiative of the organizers of the Vinitaly wine and spirits exhibition.

In his welcoming remarks, the Pope said that "wine, land, agricultural skills are a gift from God".

He supported the popularization of wine, reminding that the latter, as a product of the country, is for everyone.

In addition, the Pope called to consider winemaking and wine trade from an ethical point of view.

He noted the importance of the wine industry to the economy and employment, and that the wine market participants pay attention to the environment, work conditions, and healthy consumption habits.

Francis recalled that they consider wine as a gift from God, as a symbol of tradition and stable economy.