Taiwan bishops travel to Vatican City

台灣主教前往梵蒂岡城

7 Taiwanese bishops travel to Vatican City for audience with Pope Francis


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A team of seven Taiwanese bishops arrived at Rome's Fiumicino Airport on the evening of May 8, en route to Vatican City.

The group has not been to the Vatican for ten years, according to CNA. In addition to meeting with several members of the Roman Curia, the bishops will also have an audience with the pope.

The Taiwanese delegation includes: Taiwan parish archbishop Hung Shan-chuan (洪山川), Kaohsiung parish archbishop Liu Chen-cheng (劉振忠), Hsinchu parish bishop Li Kei-mien (李克勉), Taichung parish bishop Su Yao-wen (蘇耀文), Chiayi parish bishop Chung An-chu (鍾安住), Tainan parish bishop Lin Chi-nan (林吉男), and Hualien parish bishop Huang Chao-ming (黃兆明).

Taiwan's Ambassador to the Holy See, Li Shi-ming (李世明), met briefly with the traveling bishops at the airport before their departure. Li said that the last time a group of Taiwanese bishops visited Vatican City, it was the same group of men.

Ambassador Li said he is very grateful for the relationship between Taiwan and the Vatican, and that many of the negative rumors about the nature of their relationship are simply fake news, reported CNA. Over the last year alone, the pope has dispatched several high ranking officials to Taiwan and has offered prayers to Taiwan after natural disasters.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) met with the bishops and wished them luck on their mission to the Vatican. Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) hosted a farewell dinner for the group to express the government's respect for Catholicism and the importance placed on Taiwan-Vatican relations.

The Taiwanese delegation has prepared two gifts for the pope. First, artwork from Giuseppe Castiglione, an Italian missionary who served as a Qing court painter, and second, a painting from Taiwanese artist Chia Shen-chen (家沈禎) titled "Merciful sun shines on Taiwan (慈悲耶穌光照台灣).