On May 1, the new ambassador of Venezuela presented his credentials to Pope Francis.
Good morning, Mr. Ambassador.
It is an honor and a blessing for me and for the people of Venezuela to have the opportunity to present my credentials as Ambassador of Venezuela to the Holy See.
Thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador.
I pass along the greetings of President Maduro who sends you his love and affection.
During the meeting, Pope Francis made a surprising statement.
We will canonize him.
The statue the ambassador was holding appeared to be one of Blessed José Gregorio Hernández; the Venezuelan doctor, professor and philanthropist who died in 1919. He could become the country's first declared saint.
Relations between the Vatican and Venezuela are delicate. In 2016, the Vatican mediated between the Venezuelan government and the opposition but the meetings were unsuccessful. Since then, Pope Francis has occasionally intervened to call for peace in the country.
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