Hollywood How To: Angelina Jolie meets Pope Francis during a private audience at the Vatican after screening of her movie Unbroken

Angelina Jolie met Pope Francis during a private audience at the Vatican on Thursday.

The Hollywood star had arrived in Rome, Italy the previous day amid rumours she would be meeting the leader of the Catholic Church.

However, although it was initially thought her husband Brad Pitt would also be in attendance at the special meet-and-greet, he was absent from the meeting.

Private audience: Pope Francis met with Angelina Jolie after a screening of her movie Unbroken at the Vatican on Thursday

The 39-year-old appeared thrilled as she shook hands with the pope after a screening of her new film and second directorial effort, Unbroken.

The pope was not present at the screening, but Angelina - the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nation Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) - and two of her children met him briefly afterwards, a spokesman said.

She directed the film about American Olympian and World War Two hero Louis Zamperini, whose plane was shot down over the Pacific during World War Two.

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Meet-and-greet: Although the leader of the Catholic Church wasn't present for the film screening, he met with the Hollywood actress and two of her children afterwards

The movie, which stars British actor and BAFTA nominee Jack O'Connell, tells the story of his survival in a raft for nearly two months and his later ordeal as an inmate in prisoner of war camps.

UsWeekly had previously reported that Angelina and Brad were due to meet the leader of Catholic Church during their visit in the country.

According to the publication, the American star's head of security flew out to Italy earlier on to do a security check ahead of the family's arrival.

A source revealed that both Angelina and Brad 'admire the ope' and 'like the pope's message' after he famously spoke about homosexuality in 2013, where he said: 'If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?'

Her meeting with the Pope comes just three months after the actress received an honorary Damehood from Queen Elizabeth II.

Honours: In October, Angelina was made an honorary Dame by the Queen in recognition of her work against sexual violence

Honorary Damehood: The actress was given the title at the Queen's birthday offers

The Oscar-winning star met the Queen in October 2014, and was presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George at a reception at Buckingham Palace.

The monarch herself received Angelina, who starred as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Mr and Mrs Smith, and Changeling, and who was named by Forbes as Hollywood's highest-paid actress.

On Wednesday, Angelina had arrived in the Italian capital with her brother James Haven, as well as two of her six children, daughters Zahara and Shiloh.

They indulged in a spot of shopping as a group, popping in and out of local souvenir shops ahead of Angelina's big meeting with the pope.

When in Rome: After arriving in the Italian capital on Wednesday, Angelina took two of her daughters for a mini shopping spree at some local souvenir shops.