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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has arrived in Rome, Italy, ahead of the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected head of the Roman Catholic Church. The President touched down at the Mario De Bernardo Military Airport on Saturday evening and was warmly welcomed by top Nigerian and Vatican officials.
Among those who received Tinubu were Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, as well as Vatican dignitaries and members of the Nigerian diplomatic mission in Italy. The visit comes in response to a personal invitation extended by the Holy Father himself, delivered through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State.
The inauguration ceremony, a solemn mass to formally begin the Papacy of Pope Leo XIV, is scheduled for Sunday, May 18. This significant event will draw the attention of global leaders and religious figures alike, particularly at a time when the Church plays a pivotal role in addressing global tensions and fostering peace.
Pope Leo XIV expressed a deep fondness for Nigeria, recalling his early pastoral experiences in the country during his service in Lagos in the 1980s. He described Nigeria as a nation “close to his heart” and praised its resilience and cultural vibrancy.
President Tinubu is accompanied by a delegation of prominent Nigerian Catholic clergy. These include Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto.
The Nigerian leader’s presence at the inauguration underscores the country’s longstanding diplomatic and spiritual ties with the Vatican, as well as its shared commitment to religious harmony and peacebuilding across the world.
Tinubu’s visit also highlights Nigeria’s stature in global religious and diplomatic affairs, reaffirming its role in fostering unity among diverse cultures and faiths.
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