Vietnam invites Pope Leo XIV for historic visit

Vietnam has invited Pope Leo XIV for a historic visit to the South-east Asian country, according to state media, as diplomatic relations warm between the communist regime and the Vatican.



Mr Tran Thanh Man, chairman of the National Assembly, presented the pope on April 11 with an “official invitation” from To Lam, the General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of Vietnam.



Pope Leo XIV expressed his “sincere thanks,” and his “wish to visit the South-east Asian nation in the near future”.



He also said he hoped to “further deepen bilateral ties."



Hanoi and the Vatican have not had official diplomatic relations since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, but a joint working group has been meeting since 2009 in an effort to restore relations.



The two sides made a breakthrough in 2023 by agreeing to a “Resident Papal Representative” for the communist nation.