Vice President Chen Chien-jen will visit the Vatican to attend the canonization ceremony of Mother Teresa. That was the word from the foreign ministry on Wednesday. Chen will leave on September 2 and attend the ceremony on September 4.
Mother Teresa visited Taiwan in 1985 and the charities she established are still serving the public in Taipei and Tainan.
The foreign ministry said ties with the Vatican remain. That’s despite rumors that the Vatican could establish relations with Beijing if Pope Francis settles a dispute with China over eight Beijing-ordained bishops that the Vatican views as illegitimate.
Deputy Foreign Minister Wu Chih-chung said that Vice President Chen is the perfect envoy to the Vatican because he is a devout Catholic and has been decorated by the Vatican for his work before he became vice president.
Wu and other officials will also accompany Chen on the trip. The officials will return to Taiwan on September 8. During their trip, they will also meet with top clergy and officials, visit Taiwan’s embassy in the Vatican embassy, and also stop at Taiwan’s representative office in Italy.