These are my credentials from His Majesty, the Emperor.
Pope Francis received the credentials of Akira Chiba, the new Ambassador of Japan to the Holy See.
The ambassador's son and wife accompanied him on the visit and his wife wore a traditional kimono.
The new ambassador presented Pope Francis with two music boxes, that play an Italian song called 'O Notte Santa' when opened. The varnish that covers them was made in Fukushima, a city Pope Francis visited in 2019. This type of craftsmanship was developed by Gamou Ujisato, a Catholic feudal lord, at the end of the 16th century.
The peony represents Jesus Christ according to the tradition of persecuted Japanese Christians.
As is customary, Pope Francis presented the ambassador with the medal celebrating his tenth anniversary as pope and some of his main texts on the environment and human fraternity.
RM
