Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti Arrives in Ethiopia for Pastoral Visit

His Eminence Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches of the Holy See, has arrived in Ethiopia for a pastoral and apostolic visit. Accompanied by Fr. Dmytro Sabadokh, Special Secretary to the Prefect, and Fr. Jarozlav Lajciak, responsible for the Eastern Churches of Ethiopia and Eritrea, He arrived on the 2^nd of June 2026.

Upon arrival at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, His Eminence was warmly received by representatives of bishops, priests, religious, and lay faithful, both at the airport and later at the Vatican Embassy.

The Cardinal was subsequently welcomed by His Eminence Cardinal Abune Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia (CBCE), along with diocesan clergy at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Cathedral. An official opening prayer ceremony was held to mark the beginning of the visit.

As part of his program, Cardinal Gugerotti visited the General Secretariat of the Ethiopian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, where he met with senior officials and staff. During the visit, he was briefed on the Secretariat’s services and its role in supporting diocesan activities across the country.

In an important ecumenical engagement, Cardinal Gugerotti met with His Holiness Abune Mathias I, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church. The Cardinal conveyed a message from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and expressed his joy at being in Ethiopia. The Patriarch, in turn, warmly welcomed the delegation, extended his best wishes for their stay, and imparted his blessing.

During their discussions, both leaders reflected on issues of global peace and the challenges facing Christians today. They emphasized the importance of unity in prayer and collaborative action to address the challenges and suffering experienced by Christians both in Ethiopia and worldwide.

Cardinal Gugerotti’s visit will continue until June 12, 2026. During this time, he is scheduled to visit all Eastern Rite eparchies in Ethiopia, including the Eparchy of Adigrat, the Eparchy of Bahir Dar–Dessie, the Eparchy of Emdeber, and the Metropolitan Archeparchy of Addis Ababa. His program will include meetings with clergy, religious, laity, youth, and children, as well as visits to pastoral and social development initiatives of the Church.