Taiwan’s ambassador to the Vatican, Matthew Lee, has sent Lunar New Year greetings to Pope Francis on behalf of President Tsai Ing-wen and the Taiwanese people.
Lee wished Pope Francis a happy Lunar New Year during an event at the Vatican on Monday. He said the Pope, who was in good spirits, responded by saying that he will pray for Taiwan.
In his address to members of the diplomatic corps, the Pope spoke of a health crisis, an environmental crisis, and an economic and social crisis. The Pope encouraged the world to “contribute actively to the international efforts being made to ensure an equitable distribution of the vaccines, based not on purely economic criteria but on the needs of all, especially of peoples most in need.”
The Pope also talked about religious freedom, which he said is a “primary and fundamental human right.” The Pope said even as the world “seeks ways to protect human lives from the virus, we cannot view the spiritual and moral dimension of the human person as less important than physical health.”