Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has shared a holiday meal with his successor, Pope Francis.
The two men dined together at Francis's residence, the Santa Marta hotel on the Vatican City grounds, Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano said on Saturday.
The newspaper gave no details of the meal, except to say the two popes' personal secretaries and two other Vatican officials joined them at the lunch on Friday.
Francis had extended an invitation for a holiday meal when he paid a call on his predecessor December 23 at a monastery on the Vatican's grounds to offer Christmas greetings, Vatican Radio said.
Benedict retired on February 28 to a generally secluded life of prayer in the monastery.
Francis, who says he likes company, has made a point of keeping in touch.
In March, 10 days after his election as pontiff, Francis headed to the Vatican's vacation retreat in Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, where Benedict was staying and had lunch with his predecessor there.
