(ANSA) - VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis received the Federal President of the Republic of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, on Thursday at the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, accompanied by a delegation composed of twenty people. The private audience between the two in the Library Room lasted about 25 minutes. At the beginning, the Pope said in German to his guest: ''I need an interpreter''. At the end, after the presentation of the Austrian delegation, an exchange of gifts took place. President Van der Bellen offered the Pontiff a wooden basket full of bread, handmade by a workshop run by disabled people. ''We should now share the bread'', said the Pontiff smiling. Francis gave the head of state the bronze sculpture of an olive branch and German version of his ''Evangelii gaudium'', ''Amoris laetitia'' and ''Laudato si'''. (ANSA).