The Holy See’s envoy was in Osaka for the Vatican’s National Day Event at Expo 2025
Jun 30, 2025
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, speaks at the Vatican’s National Day Event at Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, on June 29. (Photo: Supplied)
By Keiko Kurane
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, has stressed the Holy See and Japan’s joint commitment to curbing the relentless proliferation of armaments globally.
The Vatican envoy was speaking at the Holy See Pavilion’s National Day event at Expo 2025 on Yumeshima Island in Osaka, Japan, on June 29.
“This year marks the 80th anniversary of the tragic atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, an event that shaped the history of this country while also continuing to shape its enduring commitment to peace,” Parolin said.
He noted that despite significant differences in cultural and religious traditions, the Holy See and Japan had long chosen to “know one another better and to appreciate each other’s merits.”
Highlighting shared priorities, including education, healthcare, and peace-building efforts, Parolin emphasized their countries’ commitment to “limiting the uncontrolled proliferation of armaments.”
Yoshitaka Ito, minister for Expo 2025, concurred that their shared values have defined Japan-Vatican relations.
“Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1942, Japan and the Vatican have developed together with shared values, including the promotion of peace, realization of a world free of nuclear weapons, and respect for human rights,” he said.
Ito hoped that Parolin’s first visit to Japan in about six years for the Expo would “serve as an opportunity to strengthen friendly relations between Japan and the Vatican even further.”
The Vatican’s Secretary of State reciprocated by expressing appreciation to all Japanese people, and praying that “everyone living in this country may be blessed with prosperity and peace.”
“In this year, several significant anniversaries recall the long history of relations between the Holy See and Japan,” Parolin continued, citing milestones such as the 478th anniversary of the first papal audience granted to a Japanese Catholic in 1555, the 440th anniversary of the Tensh? Embassy’s visit to Pope Gregory XIII in 1585, and the 410th anniversary of the Keich? Embassy’s audience with Pope Paul V in 1615.
“These early historical encounters mark the beginning of a relationship that has stood the test of time, and we hope it will continue to deepen in the future,” he added.
Parolin also spoke about the theme of the Holy See Pavilion, emphasizing “beauty and hope” as values urgently needed in today’s world.
“Beauty and hope are values we Catholics wish to share with the entire world, in the certainty that a better future can arise from them,” he said.
For many in the audience, Parolin’s words resonated deeply.
Nami Moto, 51, a Japanese woman whose grandfather was a victim of the Hiroshima bombing, said the cardinal’s message touched her.
“The message is beauty and hope. It was essential for us, for all the people all over the world. It was a great message,” she said.
“I have a lot of thoughts about the atomic bomb. It is difficult for me. I remember my grandfather,” she told UCA News.
Diane Kitatani, a Filipino in her early 30s who was raised in Japan, said she felt nostalgic to hear Cardinal Parolin’s speech.
“For someone so famous to talk about the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima is very important, especially for the Japanese people, and especially at this Expo,” she told UCA News.
The ceremony began with the raising of the Vatican and Japanese flags, followed by the playing of their national anthems.
It concluded with a moving concert conducted by Maestro Tomomi Nishimoto, ambassador of the Holy See Pavilion at Expo 2025.
Featuring approximately 180 performers, including choirs of students from Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Osaka, the program centered on Mozart’s “Coronation Mass” in C major, K. 317.
Nishimoto, a globally acclaimed conductor and cultural ambassador, led the IlluminArt Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, bringing together voices from cities marked by Japan’s wartime past to create a powerful tribute to peace and reconciliation.
The Holy See Pavilion, housed within the Italian Pavilion, is exhibiting “The Entombment of Christ” by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, popularly known as Caravaggio.
The 17th-century masterpiece, also known as “The Deposition,” is on display in Japan for the first time, having been loaned by the Vatican Museums for the expo.
This marks the first time the Holy See has participated in a World Expo with its own dedicated space, drawing approximately 10,000 Japanese visitors daily, most of whom are non-Catholics.
Parolin continued his visit on June 29 by celebrating Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Osaka, attended by parishioners from diverse nationalities, including Filipinos, Vietnamese, and Japanese Catholics.
“I hope there will be world peace, like what the cardinal said in his message,” said sixty-four-year-old Cristina Urata.–ucanews.com
AloJapan.com