On May 18th, Taiwan’s special envoy and former Vice President Chen Chien-jen attended the inauguration ceremony of the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV as a representative of the Republic of China. He interacted with distinguished guests such as the US Secretary of State, the President of the European Commission, and the former Prime Minister of Japan, exchanging greetings and conveying President Tsai Ing-wen’s congratulations to Pope Leo XIV.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China, Chen Chien-jen was appointed as the special envoy of the President and was accompanied by his wife and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Wu Chih-chung to attend the inauguration ceremony of Pope Leo XIV on the morning of the 18th local time in the Vatican. After the ceremony, Chen Chien-jen met with Pope Leo XIV and conveyed sincere congratulations from the government, people of Taiwan, and the Catholic community.
The inauguration ceremony took place at St. Peter’s Square, and Chen Chien-jen was guided to the venue by Vatican officials upon arrival. The ceremony lasted about two hours and was solemn and dignified. According to Vatican statistics, over 150 delegations were present to celebrate the occasion.
Before the ceremony began, Chen Chien-jen shook hands with officials from diplomatic allies such as the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Paraguay, the Ambassador of Guatemala to the Holy See, as well as representatives from friendly countries like the US Secretary of State, the former Prime Minister of Japan, and the President of the European Commission.
Chen Chien-jen also greeted high-ranking officials of the Vatican, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Monsignor Indunil Janakaratne Kodithuwakku Kankanamalage, in a warm and friendly manner.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated that after the ceremony, Pope Leo XIV met with heads of delegations from various countries. Chen Chien-jen presented a congratulatory letter from President Tsai to the Pope, along with a commemorative postal set depicting four Taiwanese churches, and a set of original postcards jointly produced by the Republic of China and the Vatican Embassy in Taiwan, showcasing the close connection between the Catholic Church in Taiwan and the Vatican.
Chen Chien-jen also presented a photo to the Pope from his time as a bishop in Chiclayo, Peru in 2020, accepting donations of epidemic prevention materials from Taiwan. The “Taiwan BOX” epidemic prevention kits were donated to Caritas Chiclayo in Peru and medical and charitable organizations in the country through collaboration between the Pingtung County Government and Dr. Lai Hsien-yung from Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China emphasized that the Taiwanese government and people have actively assisted the international community with epidemic prevention materials during the pandemic, fulfilling their responsibilities to the international community, and demonstrating the spirit of “Taiwan Can Help, and Taiwan is Helping!”
Upon his arrival in Rome on the 17th, Chen Chien-jen met with the Prime Minister of Eswatini, who also attended the Pope’s inauguration ceremony. He also participated in a Mass for peace hosted by Archbishop John Hung, chairman of the Taiwan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, at the Benedictine monastery, and had a meal with Catholic clergy on the 18th. Notable guests included Cardinal Silvano Tomasi, Special Representative of the Pope to the Order of Malta, and diplomats from Haiti and former Foreign Minister Alrich Nicolas, and other dignitaries from diplomatic allies.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China pointed out that the diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Vatican have lasted for 83 years, with deep friendship and shared universal values of religious freedom, human rights, peace, and charity. In the future, building on the solid foundation of existing friendly relations and humanitarian assistance, both sides will further deepen Taiwan-Vatican relations and make more contributions to the world.