President Tinubu Arrives Rome to Attend Installation Mass of Pope Leo XIV

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, March 17, 2025, to participate in a historic gathering of world leaders at the solemn mass marking the commencement of the Pontificate of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome and new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The installation mass is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 18.

Touching down at 6:00 p.m. local time at the Mario De Bernardo Military Airport, President Tinubu was warmly received by Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, alongside top officials from Vatican City and the Nigerian Embassy.

President Tinubu’s presence in Rome follows a personal invitation from the Vatican, extended through Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. The invitation emphasized the significance of his attendance “at this moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts.”

In his message, Pope Leo XIV expressed a personal connection with Nigeria, stating: “Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”

Accompanying President Tinubu is a distinguished delegation from the Nigerian Catholic hierarchy, including Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri, who also serves as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; and Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos. Also on the presidential entourage is Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese.

President Tinubu’s attendance at this globally significant religious ceremony underscores Nigeria’s commitment to interfaith dialogue and international cooperation in a world seeking peace and unity amid growing challenges.