The Office of the President held a press conference on the morning of April 22 to announce that Vice President Wu Den-yih will lead a delegation from the ROC to the Vatican on April 26 to attend canonization ceremonies for two late popes. Presidential Office Spokesperson Li Jia-Fei (李佳霏) presided over the press conference and Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Vanessa Yea-Ping Shih (史亞平) described the vice president's itinerary.
Vice Minister Shih stated that the Vatican will canonize Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II on April 27, and in light of the 73-year diplomatic alliance between the ROC and the Vatican, along with the deep bonds between the two late popes and the ROC, President Ma Ying-jeou will specially send Vice President Wu to serve as his envoy in leading a delegation to attend the canonization. Vice Minister Shih noted that Pope John XXIII ordained three bishops from the ROC, namely Archbishop Stanislaus Lokuang (羅光), Bishop Zheng Duoxing (鄭鐸興), and Bishop Petrus Tou Pao-zin (杜寶晉). These appointments helped lay the foundation for the thriving state of the Catholic Church in Taiwan today, she said, adding that Fu Jen Catholic University was founded here during Pope John XXIII's papacy. Meanwhile, Pope John Paul II ordained Bishop Paul Shan Kuo-Hsi (單國璽) from Kaohsiung as a cardinal. Vice President Wu, who at that time served as Kaohsiung City mayor, led a delegation to attend the ordination, Vice Minister Shih stated, adding that President Ma asks Vice President Wu to attend the canonization on his behalf in order to express the ROC's congratulations.
Vice Minister Shih mentioned that Vice President Wu will attend the canonization ceremonies as a show of respect for the contributions of the two popes to world peace, and to indicate the ROC's gratitude to the two popes for the long and deeply significant ties they maintained with the Catholic Church in Taiwan. The vice minister stated that the delegation will fly on China Airlines, which operates a Taipei-Rome route. The delegation will be gone for five days and four nights, leaving Taiwan on April 26 and returning on April 30, she said.
Vice Minister Shih explained that the delegation will include Vice President Wu, who will serve as President Ma's envoy, Madam Wu, Vice Minister Shih, as well as Order of Saint Sylvester conferee Chiang Chi-wen (江綺雯). In addition, 16 staff members will also take part in the trip, bringing the total number in the delegation to 20, she remarked.
Vice Minister Shih also mentioned that besides attending the canonization ceremonies on April 27, the vice president will also hold a banquet for clergy members from the ROC stationed in the Vatican and representatives of the overseas compatriot community in Italy, together with clergy members who have done missionary work in the ROC. He will also make a visit to the ROC's Embassy in the Holy See and the ROC's representative office in Italy, she said. The vice minister explained that the ROC government will present Pope Francis with a portrait of the Pope painted by artist Liang Dan-feng (梁丹丰). Ms. Liang, Vice Minister Shih noted, previously presented portraits of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI to the Vatican on behalf of the ROC government, and her artistry won high accolades from the two popes.
Vice Minister Shih stressed that Vice President Wu's visit comes in the wake of President Ma's trip to the Vatican in March 2013 to attend the inauguration of Pope Francis. Apart from extending the congratulations of the ROC government and thanking the Vatican for its contributions to the Catholic Church in Taiwan, she said, the point of this visit is to highlight the interaction and alliance between the ROC and the Vatican, adding that this will further enhance the bilateral friendship.