A group of bishops from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) is in Rome these days carrying out their ad limina Apostolorum visit, the periodic meeting that bishops hold with the Holy See to present the pastoral situation of their dioceses and strengthen communion with the Pope and with the bodies of the Roman Curia.
According to the episcopal conference itself in an official note, the first group of prelates comes from the ecclesiastical provinces of Benin, Ibadan, Lagos, Onitsha, and Owerri, and began the visit program on March 2 with the celebration of the Eucharist in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, presided over by the Archbishop of Owerri, Monsignor Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, former president of the CBCN.
During the first days of the visit, the prelates held various working meetings with officials of the Roman Curia and the Holy See to discuss the pastoral situation of the Church in Nigeria and strengthen collaboration with the Vatican. The conversations addressed issues related to the Church’s evangelizing mission, human dignity, peace-building, and the promotion of the common good. The day concluded with a fraternal meeting during a dinner offered by Monsignor Fortunatus Nwachukwu, secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
The visit of the Nigerian bishops is taking place at a particularly delicate moment for the Church in that African country, where Christian communities have been facing a serious situation of violence for years. Various international reports have denounced the high number of murders, kidnappings, and attacks against churches and Christian populations, especially in the so-called “middle belt” of the country and in regions affected by jihadist insurgency.
In this context, the bishops have asked the faithful to spiritually accompany this pilgrimage to Rome so that the meeting with the Holy See contributes to strengthening the Church’s mission in Nigeria and supporting the Christian communities that live amid serious difficulties.
