Italian ambassador and Nunciature co-host fellow diplomats and Church Dignitaries

By CSN Correspondent

At the instance of the Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Stefano De Leo, and the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, His Excellency, Most Rev. Antonio Guido Filipazzi, a beautiful dinner was held in honor of high-ranking diplomats in Nigeria and some prelates of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN).

The rendezvous, which was held at the Frazer Suites in Abuja on the evening of Wednesday, February 15, 2023, was aimed at establishing contacts between members of the Diplomatic Corps and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in order to facilitate interpersonal relations and promote future collaborations between them. This is consistent with the teachings of the Church that both the state and the Church exist to promote the good of the same human persons.

Present at the occasion were the following members of the Diplomatic Corps: Ambassador of Argentina with his wife, Ambassador of Bulgaria, Ambassador of Czech Republic and his wife, Ambassador of European Union, Ambassador of France, Ambassador of Greece, Ambassador of Ireland, the Italian Military Attaché, Ambassador of Poland, Ambassador of Portugal, Deputy Head of Mission of Spain and Ambassador of Switzerland. Present also were the Secretary of the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Msgr. Carlo Maria Donati, some staff of the Italian Embassy, the ENI and officials of some Italian private companies.

The CBCN team, led by the President of the CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, included: John Cardinal Onayekan, Peter Ebere Cardinal Okpaleke, Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, Most Rev. Augustine Akubeze, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin, Most Rev. Matthew Audu, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Most Rev. Stephen Mamza, Most Rev. Anthony Adaji, Most Rev. Peter Odetoyinbo, Most Rev. Augustine Echema, Most Rev. Augustine Onaga, Most Rev. Donatus Ogun, OSA, and Most Rev. Denis Isizoh. They were accompanied by the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria and his Deputy, Rev. Fr. Zacharia Samjumi and Rev. Fr. Michael Banjo, respectively.

The collaborative efforts of the Italian Ambassador and the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria in putting this initiative together is an expression of the very cordial interaction that exists between the State of Italy and the Holy See; a model that should be replicated between the Church and the Political Community at various levels.