THE mother of the Turk who tried to shoot the Pope in May 1981 was granted a private audience at the Vatican this week. Muzeyyen Agca, mother of jailed Ali Agca, who is now serving a life sentence, was with the Pope for seven minutes and he gave her a gift — a miniature of the Madonna which she kissed.
Pope John Paul told Mrs Agca that he had already forgiven her son. He described the encounter as "a moving experience. She is a very religious woman".
Muzeyyen Agca also visited her son in the top security prison at Spoleto. "He is very well" she reported. "He carries out sport and gymnastics, reads and receives a lot of letters".
Pope John Paul has twice publicaly forgiven Agca.