Former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) in the Vatican on Sunday said that he would strive to make more friends, and let the world know about Taiwan’s adherence to freedom and democracy, despite the grave challenges facing the nation.
Chen arrived in the Holy See on Saturday to attend yesterday’s beatification ceremony for Pope John Paul I as President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) special envoy.
The Vatican is Taiwan’s sole European ally.
Photo: CNA
Chen yesterday said he met with Pope Francis before the ceremony.
He said he relayed Tsai’s greetings to the pope and asked him to pray for Taiwanese.
Francis in response smiled and asked him to pray together for world peace, Chen said.
Photo provided by the Taiwanese Embassy to the Holy See
He said he also presented the pope with a book that documented the work of Catholic missionaries in Taiwan.
Chen is heading a delegation of six people comprising his staff, a security detail and his wife, Lo Fong-ping (羅鳳蘋), the Presidential Office said.
Upon the delegation’s arrival in Rome on Saturday, Chen visited the Taiwanese Embassy to the Holy See, where he praised the nation’s diplomats stationed in the Vatican.
Photo provided by the Taiwanese Embassy to the Holy See
He also visited a calligraphy and painting exhibition, titled “Friendly Taiwan meets Fratelli tutti,” celebrating 80 years of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Holy See.
Chen and his wife are today to attend Mass at Saint Sophia Cathedral, the office said. The couple also plan to make official visits to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Caritas Internationalis, and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to engage with the church and affiliated organizations on issues surrounding Taiwan’s participation in international humanitarian efforts.
Chen is the second Taiwanese to be named a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the first to be appointed to its council.
He is to attend a meeting of the council and a gathering of academics from Wednesday to Saturday, which Pope Francis is also expected to attend.
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