The Foreign Ministry stated Monday that Pope Leo XIV prayed for the victims of Typhoon Ragasa this past Sunday during mass, demonstrating the deep friendship between Taiwan and the Vatican. The ministry pledged to continue working with the Holy See on humanitarian aid and charitable services and strive to promote universal values.

During the Pope’s Jubilee Mass Sunday morning, he prayed for the victims, missing persons, displaced persons, and disaster relief workers in all countries affected by Ragasa, including Taiwan. The Foreign Ministry noted that his statement follows similar public messages of condolences this past July and his instruction to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Service of Charity to provide aid to Taiwanese disaster victims.

On behalf of President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) expressed sincere gratitude to Pope Leo XIV for the prayer, for expressing concern for Taiwan in the wake of disaster, and for embodying God’s universal love.