Senate President David Mark leads Nigeria's delegation to Pope Francis' inauguration - Senate President David Mark will lead Nigeria's delegation to the 19 March formal installation of Pope Francis I at the Vatican, the Nigerian presidency announced Friday.
A statement made available to PANA here Friday listed other members of the delegation, approved by President Goodluck Jonathan, as Aviation Minister Stella Oduah, Minister of State (Foreign Affairs) Viola Onwuliri and the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama.
The delegation also includes the Chaplain of the Presidential Villa Chapel, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba, and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Mr. John Kennedy Opara.
The statement said that in addition to attending the new Pope’s inauguration mass at the Vatican City, the delegation will also convey a congratulatory letter from President Jonathan to Pope Francis, who was elected by the College of Cardinals on Wednesday to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned on health grounds at the end of February
Nigeria has an estimated 20 million Catholics, one of the largest in Africa.
Pana 15/03/2013