Vatican Secretary of State to visit Viet Nam

Arbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of Relations with States and International Organizations of the Vatican, will visit Viet Nam from April 9-14, the Catholic Bishop'Conference of Viet Nam announced Wednesday.

During his stay, Arbishop Gallagher is expected to meet with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and leaders of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of Relations with States and International Organizations of the Vatican

Arbishop Gallagher will also visit Ha Noi-based National Children's Hospital which has medical cooperation with Rome's Bambino Gesù since 2005.

Archbishop Gallagher will celebrate the Mass at cathedrals in Ha Noi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City; and meet with members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Viet Nam.

Viet Nam and Vatican decided to set up a joint working group to discuss the establishment of bilateral relations in 2008.

In 2011, Viet Nam agreed with the proposal of the Holy See for sending a Vatican's non-resident special envoy to Viet Nam. The Vatican appointed Archbishop Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore Leopoldo Girelli as the Vatican's first non-resident Special Envoy to the Southeast Asian country.

In 2023, both sides formally announced the adoption of the Status of the Resident Papal Representative and the Office of the Resident Papal Representative in Viet Nam, marking a new historic step in their bilateral relationship.

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