Sri Lanka´s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Himalee Arunatilaka, who is concurrently accredited to the Holy See, presented credentials to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, at a ceremony held at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican recently (Dec 06).
According to the Embassy of Sri Lanka to the Holy See in Geneva, the ceremony was attended by high officials of the Vatican, where non-resident Ambassadors of Uzbekistan, Moldova, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Liberia, Thailand, Lesotho, South Africa, Fiji, Micronesia, Latvia and Finland presented credentials.
Welcoming the newly accredited Ambassadors to the Holy See during the Jubilee Year of Hope, Pope Leo XIV highlighted that “peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but an active and demanding gift”, which is all the more urgent “as geopolitical tension and fragmentation continued to deepen”. The Holy Father further affirmed that “the Holy See will not be a silent bystander to the grave disparities, injustices, and fundamental human rights violations”. He emphasised the need to be attentive to those in poor and vulnerable situations or who are “pushed to the margins of society”.
The Pope underlined that constructive relations between the Holy See and the respective nations of the newly appointed Ambassadors can help in addressing these concerns, and expressed hope that such cooperation will contribute to “a renewed spirit of multilateral engagement at a moment when it is sorely needed, revitalizing those international bodies established to resolve disputes among nations.”
Ambassador Arunatilaka conveyed the warm greetings and best wishes of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and sought that the Holy Father keep Sri Lanka in his prayers as the country recovers from the disaster situation following Cyclone Ditwah.
On the sidelines of the credentials ceremony, separate meetings were held with the Secretary of State, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Paroline, and the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, His Excellency Archbishop Paul Gallagher. During these meetings, Ambassador Arunatilaka briefed on the scale of the destruction caused by the cyclone, while also acknowledging the humanitarian assistance provided by the Catholic Church through Caritas Sri Lanka.
Migration, disarmament and inter-religious dialogue were highlighted as issues of common interest and concern in the bilateral relations.
Archbishop Gallagher recalled with appreciation the high-level engagements in Sri Lanka and the warm hospitality accorded during his visit to Sri Lanka in November 2025 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Holy See. (Newswire)
