NIGERIA PRESIDENT JONATHAN VISIT POPE IN VATICAN CITY...

President Goodluck Jonathan today met
with the head of the Catholic Church, Pope
Francis I.
The meeting took place at the Apostolic
Palace at the Vatican and ended about
10:55 AM after which, the president began
his pilgrimage with a visit to the Vatican
museum.

The president and his entourage arrived
Rome last night (Friday) and were
welcomed by the Pope’s representatives.
They were also received by Nigeria’s
representative to the Vatican, Dr Francis
Okeke.
Online reports say President Jonathan and
Pope Francis held extensive discussion on
Nigeria’s position on same-sex marriage
law recently passed in the country.
The report says the Executive Secretary of
Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission,
Kennedy Opara, disclosed this to
journalists at the Holy Sea after President
Jonathan’s audience with the Pope as well
as his tour of the Vatican City.
Opara, according to the report, said the
president used the opportunity to state
Nigeria’s position on same sex-marriage
while the Pope commended Jonathan’s
effort in tackling the various challenges
facing the country.
The Pilgrims from Anambra, Kaduna and the
Federal Capital Territory, were part of
President  Jonathan’s delegation to Vatican
City in Rome, Italy but remained at the
courtyard while the audience with Pope
Francis and Monsignor Pietro Parolin, the
Vatican’s Secretary of State.
Also Nigerian residents in Italy were also in
the Vatican City to join President Jonathan
in the Papal audience.