President Bola Ahmed Tinubu landed in Rome, Italy, on Saturday evening to attend the official inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, the newly elected leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
The event, described by Vatican officials as a significant moment for both the Church and the wider world, will take place during a solemn mass on Sunday, May 18.
The President’s aircraft touched down at Mario De Bernardo Military Airport around 6 p.m. local time. Upon arrival, he was welcomed by Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, as well as officials from the Nigerian Embassy and representatives of the Vatican City.
Tinubu is in Rome in response to a personal invitation extended to him by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, on behalf of Pope Leo XIV. The Pope’s message to Tinubu underlined the importance of his attendance, given the global challenges currently confronting many nations.
The invitation read, “Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.” The Pope also noted that Tinubu’s presence at the Vatican ceremony carries significance due to Nigeria’s role in international peace and stability.
President Tinubu is accompanied by a number of senior Nigerian Catholic clergy. Among them are Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, who serves as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; and Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos. Also part of the delegation is Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese.
The Vatican has described this installation as a moment of spiritual renewal and a call for unity across faiths and borders. With world leaders and high-ranking clergy expected to be present, Sunday’s mass will mark a historic transition for the Roman Catholic Church, as Pope Leo XIV begins his leadership as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
