Leo DiCaprio Praises Late Pope Francis, Remembers 2016 Meeting

Leonardo DiCaprio was a big fan of the late Pope Francis — praising his work on environmental issues and recalling a story about their 2016 meeting.

The iconic actor took to Instagram on Monday and posted a heartfelt message, with two photos showing their get-together at the Vatican. In one pic, they're seen shaking hands -- in the other, they're leafing through books together.

Their meeting roughly coincided with the release of the 2016 documentary about climate change, "Before The Flood," which DiCaprio co-produced. As you know, Leo is a major environmental activist.

In his IG post, Leo highlighted the issue of climate change, calling Pope Francis a "transformational leader — not only for the Catholic Church, but also for environmental reform and activism."

Leo went on ... “[Francis] demonstrated a deep and unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship, most notably through his groundbreaking 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.”

DiCaprio was referring to the 2015 letter Francis mailed to churches around the globe, which "served as a clarion call for a fundamental shift in how we relate to the planet.”

Leo noted the pope's strong efforts in getting “individuals, communities, institutions, and world leaders to unite in caring for our common home.” DiCaprio also highlighted his 2016 meeting with Francis, saying it was "enlightening" and "deeply moving" for him to sit with the pope and discuss climate change.

Leo wrapped it up by describing Francis as “one of the most extraordinary spiritual leaders of our time," and his "legacy will continue to inspire generations of environmentalists around the world."