PH, Holy See mark 70 years of diplomatic relations

The Philippines and the Holy See on Thursday, April 8 marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two states.

Outgoing Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See, Grace Relucio-Princesa, reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the bilateral relations, in a virtual celebration attended by some top diplomats and church officials.

She also assured the government’s continued partnership with the church because "there’s really room for engagement,"

"Let the Philippine Embassy in the Vatican start this: diplomacy for humanity, diplomacy for the common good, and one of this is migration," Princesa said. 

The Philippines and the Vatican established their diplomatic relations on April 8, 1951, under the administration of President Elpidio Quirino.

The agreement raised the Apostolic Delegation to the Philippines to the status of Nunciature, with Archbishop Egidio Vagnozzi becoming the first Apostolic Nuncio on April 9, 1951.

Through the Nunciature, the Holy See can facilitate dialogue with civil authorities, foster contacts with the local churches, and maintain a presence in international life.

Meanwhile, the first Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See was Manuel Moran, who presented his credentials to Pope Pius XII on June 4, 1951.

During those years, there have been four papal visits to the Philippines: the 1970 visit by Pope Paul VI, the visits of 1981 and 1995 by Pope John Paul II, and Pope Francis’ visit in 2015.

The milestone also coincided with the ongoing celebration of the 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines.

Among the church leaders present were Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, prefect of the Vatican’s Propaganda Fide; Archbishop Charles Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines; Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop-elect of Manila; and Archbishop Romulo Valles, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.