Leonardo DiCaprio met Pope Francis today (28.01.16).

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio

The 41-year-old actor had a 15-minute private meeting with the Roman Catholic authority, 79, at the Vatican in Vatican City, based in Rome, Italy, to discuss climate change.

A source told PEOPLE.com: "Leo explained that he wanted to discuss a subject they both have very much at heart: protecting the environment and climate change."

However, the 'Revenant' star didn't turn up empty handed as he reportedly gave the Pope a hardback book jam-packed with Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch's stunning art work.

And it seems the short meeting went well as Leonardo reportedly kissed the Pope's ring and thanked him in Italian.

A spokesperson for the Vatican explained: "And at the end of the encounter, Leonardo kissed the pope's ring and, in Italian, thanked the Holy Father for meeting with him."

Climate change is a subject very close to Leonardo's heart as he recently pumped $15 million from his own foundation to conservation projects around the globe.

The Hollywood hunk - who set up the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) in 1998 to protect the world's last wild places - confirmed his donation in the speech recently, insisting "generosity" is vital when it comes to the world's future.

LDF has awarded $30 million grants and supported more than 65 organisations since it was founded.