President Tinubu to Attend Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday for Rome, Italy, to attend the inauguration of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, following an invitation from the Vatican.
The President will participate in a solemn mass marking the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and head of the Roman Catholic Church. The inaugural ceremony is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
The invitation was formally extended through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, who conveyed Pope Leo XIV’s request for President Tinubu’s presence, describing it as a moment of great significance for both the Catholic Church and a world burdened by conflict and division.
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Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, shared a personal connection with Nigeria in his invitation, recalling his service at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s. “Your great nation is particularly dear to me,” he said.
President Tinubu will be accompanied by several key Catholic and government leaders, including Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.
Pope Leo XIV was elected by the Conclave of Cardinals 27 days after the passing of Pope Francis on April 21. President Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.
