THE PRESIDENT IN EUROPE : Anti-Drug Crusade Cited at Private Audience : Pope Hails First Lady’s Cause

Pope John Paul II met privately with Nancy Reagan for 25 minutes in his library Saturday, commending her for her crusade against drug abuse.

In a three-page letter to the First Lady that was released by the Vatican, the Roman Catholic pontiff said he wished “to express my appreciation of the reasons which bring you to Rome at this time, namely, your participation in the fight against drug abuse and in the rehabilitation of those whose lives have been affected by this social evil.”

James Rosebush, the First Lady’s White House chief of staff, said that Vatican officials had indicated that her visit, on a side trip while President Reagan attended the economic summit in Bonn, marked the first time the Pope has met privately with the spouse of a head of state “on so serious an issue.”

Met Twice Before

Nancy Reagan had seen the pontiff twice before with her husband, but this was her first audience by herself. They spoke to each other across the Pope’s desk, exchanged gifts and then John Paul walked her to the door of his library, clasping her hand and saying, “God bless you and thank you very much for your visit.”

On the Reagans’ 10-day trip through Europe, the First Lady has talked with parents of drug addicts in Bonn and visited drug rehabilitation facilities in Italy, and she will visit similar institutions in Portugal later this week.

The First Lady said she was thrilled by her audience with the Pope.

“How do you describe beautiful? A once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “We talked about the drug problem and my involvement in it, and his concerns. He said he was praying for me.”

She said that she received encouragement from the Pope to continue her drug education and awareness campaign, which, in the United States has taken her on travels of 60,000 miles to 44 cities in 27 states since she became First Lady. Her activities first took on international impact when she was host to a drug conference at the White House last week with first ladies from 17 countries. She described the tactic as “speaking mother-to-mother.”

Mrs. Reagan, who will accompany the President today on his visit to the cemetery at Bitburg, was interviewed aboard the Air Force plane that flew her back to West Germany. She said she had not heard until the flight that leaders attending the Bonn summit had resolved to crack down on international drug smuggling after the President raised the issue at a summit dinner.

“Oh, did they really?” she said, her face brightening into a huge smile. “That’s wonderful. A nice surprise.”

The First Lady described the Pope as “a combination of great strength and gentleness at the same time, which is a rare combination. He’s just a wonderful man.”

John Paul also met briefly with 15 members of the First Lady’s entourage.

“Does it not reflect an inadequacy on the part of modern society to satisfy the spiritual longing of people today?” the Pope wrote, in reference to the drug problem, in his letter to Mrs. Reagan. “International collaboration is needed in programs of therapy and rehabilitation.”

In the letter, the Pope asked her “to convey my respectful greetings to the President of the United States.” She also said that the pontiff gave her a private message for her husband, which she did not divulge.

After the papal audience, the First Lady was given a tour of the Sistine Chapel, where American tourists waved to her and broke into applause when she waved back. Next, she was shown the Pauline Chapel, which contains Michelangelo’s last two paintings.