Vietnam to receive Papal Resident Representative

The Vatican announced that they had reached a definitive agreement with Vietnam to have a Resident Papal Representative in Hanoi.

Following the private audience that Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong had with Pope Francis on July 27, the Holy See Press Office issued a communiqué making the statement.

The president’s visit was also made based on the 10th Session of the Joint Working Group between Vietnam and the Holy See on March 31, 2023, "with the desire to continue advancing bilateral relations."

According to the statement, both the Vatican and Vietnam have expressed confidence that having a Resident Papal Representative in Hanoi will provide support to the Vietnamese Catholic community, guiding them to be good Catholics "inspired by the Magisterium of the Church."

After meeting the pope, President Vo Van Thuong also met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

Vietnam and the Holy See consider this agreement a sign of noteworthy progress in their relations as well as a high appreciation for the positive contributions of the Catholic Church in the Asian country.

The Resident Papal Representative in Hanoi is expected to advance further bilateral relations between Vietnam and the Holy See.

Home to nearly seven million Catholics, Vietnam broke off relations with the Vatican after the communist takeover at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.

Archbishop Marek Zalewski is the current papal representative of Vietnam. He is now based in Singapore, where he serves as the Vatican nuncio.

Since the practice of Catholicism is restricted in Vietnam, Archbishop Zalewski has to first obtain government approval for his occasional working visits to the country. Luke Godoy