▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁decl ined ▁to ▁meet ▁with ▁T enz in ▁Gy at so , ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁Dal ai ▁L ama , ▁after ▁the ▁Dal ai ▁L ama , ▁who ▁was ▁visit ing ▁Rome , ▁had ▁requested ▁a ▁pap al ▁audience . ▁V at ican ▁officials ▁assured ▁the ▁press ▁and ▁Buddh ist ▁leaders ▁that ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁held ▁the ▁Dal ai ▁L ama ▁" in ▁very ▁high ▁regard ", ▁but ▁was ▁concerned ▁that ▁the ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁spiritual ▁leaders ▁could ▁je op ard ize ▁the ▁V at ican ' s ▁efforts ▁to ▁improve ▁their ▁relationship ▁with ▁China . ▁In ▁speaking ▁crit ically ▁of ▁the ▁progress ▁of ▁the ▁negoti ations , ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁Card inal ▁Joseph ▁Z en , ▁former ▁bishop ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁said ▁the ▁Pope ▁" does ▁not ▁understand ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁at ▁all " ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁Chinese ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁government ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁make ▁any ▁con cess ions . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁during ▁the ▁pap al ▁visit ▁to ▁Sri ▁L anka , ▁Pope ▁Francis ▁made ▁an ▁un sch eduled ▁stop ▁at ▁a ▁Buddh ist ▁temple ▁in ▁Col om bo ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁shown ▁sacred ▁Buddh ist ▁re lic s ▁that ▁are ▁normally ▁only ▁viewed ▁once ▁a ▁year , ▁and ▁listened ▁to ▁singing ▁and ▁dev ot ional ▁music . ▁Ear lier ▁that ▁week , ▁Francis ▁had ▁met ▁with ▁Buddh ist , ▁H indu , ▁Muslim ▁and ▁Christian ▁leaders