SINGAPORE – The first official meeting between a sitting Singapore Head of State and the Pope at the Vatican will happen on Saturday (May 28).
President Tony Tan Keng Yam will meet Pope Francis, as part of his eight-day state visit to Italy and the Holy See that started on May 22.
Commenting on Dr Tan’s visit, Archbishop of Singapore William Goh said: “We have a government that is secular but not secularised, as it recognises the important role that religions can play in the moral development of our peoples.
“We are truly grateful to her for championing religious harmony, which is especially crucial at a time when religious extremism is threatening the peaceful coexistence of peoples.”
This year marks 35 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Holy See.
In 1986, Pope St John Paul II visited Singapore; the first for a Pope.
The special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, also visited Singapore in 2006 to mark 25 years of diplomatic relations.
grongloh@sph.com.sg
