ROME — Bill O’Reilly, the embattled Fox News host, now dismissed from the alt right, pro Trump media after facing a barrage of sexual harassment accusations, met Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square last Wednesday morning during the pontiff’s weekly general audience. Mr. O’Reilly sat in a V.I.P. section with V.I.P tickets provided by Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, the archbishop of New York. The pope gives ticket-holding attendees his apostolic blessing and blesses their religious artifacts.
The Vatican denied that any official audience was scheduled or would occur with Mr. O’Reilly . It was unclear if Mr. O’Reilly got to say anything Pope Francis, who has made mercy a cornerstone of his pontificate.