Potential future Twitter owner Elon Musk took to the site Friday with a surprising update: He said he and his family had been “honored” to meet with Pope Francis on Thursday, June 30.
The tweet included a picture of Musk next to the Catholic leader and four of Musk’s teenage children. No additional details were offered as to why the motley crew met up.
The Vatican also has not shared a reason for the gathering, according to The Associated Press. However, the article noted that Pope Francis often meets with prominent business leaders in order to urge them to do what they can to help the less fortunate.
“Francis frequently meets with high-profile figures in strictly private audiences that are held in a reception room of the Vatican hotel where he lives. A common talking point he uses when meeting with corporate CEOs is to appeal for them to use wealth and technology to help the poorest while caring for God’s creation,” AP reported.
Musk’s tweet about the pope was part of a series of updates that broke his 10-day streak of silence on the social media site. After a tweet about gas prices on June 21, the tech billionaire had been laying low, perhaps due to ongoing controversy surrounding his bid to take over Twitter.
“On June 21, Twitter’s board recommended shareholders approve Musk’s proposed purchase, though shares of Twitter remain far below his offering price, signaling considerable doubt that the sale will actually happen,” AP reported.
Pope Francis has been navigating a controversy of his own in recent weeks as the Vatican has sought to tamp down on rumors that the Catholic leader will soon retire. In an exclusive interview with Reuters on Saturday, the pope addressed recent event cancellations and future plans.
“It is possible, after I come back from Canada, it is possible that I manage to go to Ukraine,” Pope Francis told Reuters. “The first thing is to go to Russia to try to help in some way, but I would like to go to both capitals.”