“Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
LEADERSHIP NG
President Bola Tinubu arrived at the Military Airport in Rome at about 5:00 a.m. local time on Saturday to attend a solemn mass marking the beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
He was warmly received by senior Nigerian officials. The Presidency confirmed the trip came at the Vatican’s invitation following the election of Pope Leo XIV by the Conclave of Cardinals.
In a letter to President Tinubu, Cardinal Pietro Parolin described the Nigerian leader’s presence as significant “at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts.”
Pope Leo XIV also noted his personal connection to Nigeria, stating, “Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
Tinubu’s delegation includes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and several Catholic archbishops, reflecting the importance of the occasion.