The Office of the President held a press conference on the afternoon of March 15 to announce that President Ma Ying-jeou and Mrs. Ma will lead a congratulatory delegation from the ROC to the Vatican to attend the inaugural mass and installation of Pope Francis. Office of the President Spokesperson Li Jia-Fei (李佳霏) opened the press conference, while Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Vanessa Yea-Ping Shih (史亞平) explained the itinerary for the group.
Vice Minister Shih stated that the College of Cardinals at 2 a.m. on March 14 Taipei time elected a new pope and subsequently announced that the installation mass for Pope Francis will be held on the morning of March 19. The vice minister noted that the MOFA had begun planning for President and Mrs. Ma to lead a delegation to the Vatican even before the election of the new pope was held. Once the results of the election were announced and the inauguration ceremonies were firmed up, the ministry immediately continued working to arrange for a visit, she said, which included the itinerary and the list of delegation members.
Vice Minister Shih stated that this trip is codenamed Project Celebration Friendship, and the delegation will include President Ma and Mrs. Ma, National Security Council Secretary-General Jason C. Yuan (袁健生), Fu Jen Catholic University President Vincent Han-Sun Chiang (江漢聲), and Vice Minister Shih herself. The five-member delegation will also be accompanied by staff to assist in arrangements, she said.
The vice minister explained that Pope Francis will be installed at 9:30 a.m. on March 19. The delegation from the ROC is expected to depart on a charter flight from Taiwan on the evening of March 17 and will leave the Vatican on the evening of March 19 to return to Taiwan.
Vice Minister Shih also stated that the Vatican has expressed its welcome to the delegation led by President and Mrs. Ma. In addition to attending the inauguration ceremonies, it has been suggested that the president participate in several other activities while he is in the Vatican. In response, the MOFA has already contacted the Embassy of the ROC to the Holy See to make arrangements. During his stay in the Vatican, President Ma will inspect the Embassy of the ROC to the Holy See and the Taipei Representative Office in Italy. Arrangements have also been made for the president to attend a banquet with members of the clergy from the ROC and overseas compatriots living in Italy, she said.