Former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) led a group of Taiwanese Catholics to the Vatican on Wednesday as a show of support for Pope Francis. The group shared a light meal at the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the Holy See shortly after their arrival.
Pope Francis has been in the hospital receiving treatment for double pneumonia for nearly four weeks. The most recent chest X-ray confirmed his condition has improved; however, given the pope’s advanced age, the overall prognosis remains complicated.
Speaking at the embassy, Chen praised Taiwan's Ambassador to the Holy See Matthew Lee (李世明) for his many years of service maintaining diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Vatican. Chen, a devout Catholic, expressed his concerns about the health of Pope Francis, saying Taiwanese Catholics hope he will recover soon so that he can continue to lead the church and promote values such as world peace, environmental sustainability, democracy, and freedom.
Chen said his group is visiting several churches throughout Italy to pray for Taiwan and the Pope’s health. As this year marks the Catholic Jubilee, they also made a trip to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to pass through its Holy Door, which is only open during Jubilee years.