Africa-Press – Angola. The President of the Republic, João Lourenço, and the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, addressed this Friday afternoon, in Cunene, the strengthening of diplomatic relations between the two States.
The approach took place during the audience that João Lourenço granted to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, at the Government Palace of Cunene, as part of the verification visit to structural projects to combat drought in the region.
The cardinal traveled to Cunene with the aim of directing the episcopal ordination ceremony of Dom Germano Penemote, as apostolic nuncio in Pakistan, to take place on the esplanade Nossa das Vitórias (the bishopric’s premises), on Saturday.
At the end of the meeting, Pietro Parolin said that it was an opportunity to meet with President João Lourenço, to discuss important issues on existing relations between States, including ordination.
“We consider it to be a sequence of the matters signed in recent years between the Angolan Government and the Holy See, and it was a satisfaction since many points agreed at the time were fulfilled”, he said.
He informed that it is important to establish new agreements of common interest, above all, those that can solve the problems of the population, as well as benefit the Church and the State.
He said that another point raised was related to regional policy, specifically in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and the situation of the war in Ukraine.
On the other hand, he highlighted the ordination of Germano Penomote, Angolan son of Cunene, appointed by Pope Francis, on 16 June, as apostolic nuncio in Pakistan, which represents a gain for the Church.
Pietro Parolin recalled that Germano Penomote has already worked for many years in Vatican diplomacy and the Holy Father always wants him as a collaborator, now with more responsibilities in Pakistan.
The Cardinal Secretary of State is the head of the Secretariat of State for His Holiness the Pope. Its attribution is to direct it, being the oldest and most important Dicastery of the Roman Curia.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin is since 15 October 2013 Secretary of State of the Holy See.
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