Cardinal Edwin O’Brien is in Taiwan for a visit.
His visit comes on the heels of Vice President Chen Chien-jen’s trip to the Vatican to attend the canonization of Mother Teresa.
The American Cardinal has been the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem since March 15, 2012.
During his visit, he will meet with the vice president and Catholic clergy and attend a Mass.
The foreign ministry said on Friday that Taiwan and the Vatican have maintained long-standing ties, enjoying close cooperation and frequent high-level exchanges.
In January of this year, the Vatican appointed Archbishop Piero Marini to attend the opening ceremony of a joint exhibit organized by the Vatican and Taiwan’s National Palace Museum.
When President Tsai Ing-wen was inaugurated on May 20th, the Vatican also appointed its ambassador to Japan, Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, as special envoy to Taiwan.