SOUTH SUDAN: Cardinal Parolin Blesses the Stone of Vatican Embassy in South Sudan
Ginaba Lino
On Thursday July 7, 2022, the Secretary of the State His Eminence Pietro Parolin blessed the stone of the foundation of Vatican Embassy in the Republic of South Sudan.
Speaking during the blessing ceremony, the Secretary of the State said this is a sign of consolidated relationship between the Holy See and the Republic of South Sudan.
Cardinal Pietro said the role of Nunciature is to strengthen communion between the Pope and local Bishops’ but it also the relationship with the government.
“The role of Nunciature is to strengthen the communion between the Pope and local Bishop and local Churches, but is also the task to forester relationship and to forester the commitment or peace and development for the welfare of the people of the Country.”
He believes that the new house of the Vatican in South Sudan will help the people of South Sudan and also Pope Francis in turn.
Cardinal Parolin expressed his joy for having such occasion during his visit to South Sudan as a representative of His Holiness Pope Francis.
On his part, the Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan and Kenya appreciated the Bishops’ Conference of Sudan and South Sudan for giving a land for the construction project of a permanent building of the Vatican in South Sudan.
He said the stone which has been blessed by the Vatican’s Secretary of State will be a symbol of the corner stone on which Jesus’ Church is built and the rock ‘Saint Peter’ whose successor is Pope Francis.
“I say this is like a symbol of Paradise in the midst of Juba City and the stone we are about to bless stands for the corner stone which is Jesus Christ on which the Church is build, and it stand for that rock which is Peter whose successor is the Holy Father Pope Francis.”
Meanwhile, the Head of Presidential Affairs Dr. Marial Benjamin described the establishment of the Nunciature in Juba as a historical moment towards having the Vatican embassy in South Sudan.
He said the government of South Sudan are behind the Church and will always support them where necessary.
His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin blessed the corner stone of the Vatican on Thursday after celebrating Mass with hundreds of the people of South Sudan at John Garang Mausoleum in Capital of Juba.
