▲ President Lee Jae-myung shakes hands with Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik after delivering a commemorative speech at the 'Special Mass for Peace and Solidarity' held at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, Italy, on June 14 (local time).
President Lee Jae-myung, currently on a tour of Europe, has begun his scheduled visit to the Vatican. As his first engagement, he attended and delivered a commemorative speech at the 'Special Mass for Peace and Solidarity' held at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls on the afternoon of June 14.
The Basilica is one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome. Kang Yu-jung, Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Affairs, stated in a written briefing that the site is significant for peace and solidarity, as it hosts the 'Week of Prayer for Christian Unity' every January, where Catholics, Protestants, and other Christians gather to promote harmony.
The special mass was presided over by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, who was appointed as the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy in 2021, becoming the first Korean to hold such a position in the Vatican. The event was attended by over 300 Korean clergy and laypeople, members of the diplomatic corps to the Holy See, and key Vatican officials.
During the mass, Cardinal You recalled that the first message Pope Leo XIV ever sent to the world was "Peace to all." He stated, "The Korean Peninsula still carries the wounds of division, with brothers and sisters separated; what pain could be greater than this? We must never, for any reason, give up on peace."
He continued, "Over the past year, Mr. President, you have appealed for the creation of a world where the two Koreas can truly live together. I want to tell you that I not only deeply agree with this, but I am also praying for it every day."
In his commemorative speech, President Lee said, "Twenty-six years ago, on June 15, the South and North sat down together for the first time since the division and announced the June 15 Joint Declaration. I am convinced that the spark of hope from that day is still alive," and pledged to work toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.
President Lee is scheduled to hold a private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Apostolic Palace tomorrow, June 15, followed by a meeting with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.