President Bola Tinubu will travel to Rome, Italy, on Saturday to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, following an invitation from the new pontiff.
The ceremony, marking the beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate as the 267th Bishop of Rome, will take place on May 18 at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
In his invitation to the Nigerian president, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on behalf of Pope Leo XIV, emphasised the significance of Tinubu’s “presence at this pivotal moment for the Catholic Church”, amidst global tensions and conflicts.
Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson, said in a statement issued on Thursday that the visit underscores the strong diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the Vatican.
“In the Papal invitation sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo XIV underscored the need for President Tinubu’s physical presence ‘at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts,” the statement reads.
“Pope Leo further stressed: ‘Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.’
“President Tinubu’s entourage includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Archbishop of Owerri and President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and Alfred Martins of Lagos.”
Leo was elected pope on May 8 after a relatively short voting period. He is the first American to lead the Catholic Church.
During the week-long inauguration ceremony, the pope will meet with world leaders, cardinals, journalists, and diplomats.
