President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday met with His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, at the Vatican, where the two leaders exchanged warm greetings ahead of the official mass marking the beginning of the Pope’s pontificate.
The meeting took place shortly before the solemn installation mass for Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and spiritual head of the Roman Catholic Church, scheduled for May 18.
President Tinubu arrived in Rome earlier in the day in response to a special invitation extended by the Vatican. The new Pope, who once served in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s, expressed deep affection for Nigeria in his letter to President Tinubu, describing the country as “a nation particularly dear to me.”
According to the President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the invitation underscored the significance of Tinubu’s presence at a time of global challenges, marked by escalating conflicts and humanitarian concerns. “The Holy See believes President Tinubu’s attendance is important in showing unity, peace, and global cooperation at this critical moment,” Onanuga said.
President Tinubu was accompanied by a delegation that included prominent Nigerian Catholic figures such as Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, Archbishop Alfred Martins, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah.
The encounter between the Nigerian leader and the Holy Father is seen as a significant gesture of diplomatic goodwill and interfaith solidarity at a time when religious tolerance and peacebuilding remain pressing global priorities.
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