Elizabeth II has met with religious leaders.
Elizabeth II . Elizabeth 's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes . The pope ( papa from πάππας pappas , a child 's word for `` father '' ) , also known as the pontiff , is the Bishop of Rome , and therefore ex officio the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In recent centuries , popes were gradually forced to give up temporal power , and papal authority is now once again almost exclusively restricted to matters of religion .