Pope Leo expressed his delight at the meeting and noted the positive progress in bilateral ties, including the recent upgrade to the status of the Resident Representative of the Holy See in Vietnam. He voiced support for further exchanges through the Vietnam – Holy See Joint Working Group, aiming to strengthen cooperation in line with the aspirations of Vietnamese Catholics and the interests of both sides.

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Vice State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (left) and Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican

Vice President Xuan congratulated the Pope on his recent election and reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to fostering relations with the Holy See. She praised the guidance and messages delivered by successive Popes to the Catholic Church in Vietnam and called on Pope Leo to continue encouraging the Church’s engagement in national development.

The Vice President also conveyed invitations from Vietnam’s leaders to the Pope and the Holy See’s officials to visit the country. In response, Pope Leo expressed his appreciation for the invitations and affirmed his wish to visit the Southeast Asian nation, aiming to demonstrate solidarity with the Vietnamese Catholic Church and community, and to further strengthen Vietnam-Vatican relations.

The same day, Xuan held talks with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Vatican Secretary for Relations with States. She proposed maintaining the effectiveness of the Joint Working Group mechanism and called for continued collaboration between the Holy See’s Resident Representative and Vietnamese authorities in fulfilling pastoral missions. Vietnam will continue facilitating pastoral visits, she said.

Archbishop Gallagher congratulated Vietnam on its socio-economic achievements and welcomed recent positive developments in bilateral relations. He appreciated Vietnam’s religious policies and affirmed the Vatican’s willingness to boost ties and support future high-level exchanges.

The two sides also discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern.

Source: VNA