Pope Leo XIV invites President Tinubu to his inauguration in Rome

Pope Leo XIV has invited President Tinubu to Rome, Italy to attend his inauguration on Sunday, May 18. 

The ceremony, marking the beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate as the 267th Bishop of Rome, will take place at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

In his invitation to the Nigerian president, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, on behalf of Pope Leo XIV, emphasised the significance of Tinubu’s “presence at this pivotal moment for the Catholic Church”, amidst global tensions and conflicts.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesperson, said the visit underscores the strong diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the Vatican.

“Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”the Pontiff was quoted as saying

President Tinubu’s entourage includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Archbishop of Owerri and President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja, and  Alfred Martins of Lagos.

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah, is also in the president’s entourage.

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost,  will be formally installed to the exalted office on Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

The Conclave of Cardinals elected him 27 days after his predecessor, Pope Francis, died on April 21.

President Tinubu will return to Abuja on Tuesday, May 20.