(ZENIT News / Vatican City, 05.03.2025).- In a rare display of Vatican diplomacy during a period traditionally marked by pause, Zimbabwe’s Vice President, General Constantino Chiwenga, was formally received in audience at the Vatican on Saturday, May 3rd. The visit, taking place in the midst of a papal interregnum—following the death of Pope Francis—marks the third such high-level diplomatic engagement with a head of state or government in the unusual vacuum left by the absence of a pontiff.
With the See of Peter vacant, and the papal household in transition, the Vatican’s typically intricate protocol adapts. In these interregnal moments, when curial offices are largely suspended and the Secretariat of State itself is dissolved, diplomatic responsibilities fall to a small cadre of figures whose positions transcend papal tenure. Chief among them is Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, often described as the Holy See’s equivalent of a foreign minister.
Archbishop Gallagher, whose role remains uninterrupted even in the absence of a pope, welcomed Vice President Chiwenga on behalf of the Holy See, continuing the Vatican’s subtle yet sustained engagement with the world stage. Previous audiences during this sede vacante have included Poland’s President Andrzej Duda and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, signaling the Vatican’s intent to remain diplomatically active even without a pontiff at the helm.
According to an official statement from the Holy See Press Office, the meeting with Vice President Chiwenga was marked by a spirit of cordiality and mutual respect. Central to the conversation were the longstanding relations between Zimbabwe and the Holy See, particularly the close cooperation between the local Catholic Church and the Zimbabwean government in areas such as education and healthcare. These sectors, historically underserved and under strain in Zimbabwe’s socio-political landscape, have long relied on the Church’s infrastructure and social outreach.
The discussion also ventured beyond national borders, touching on pressing regional and international developments. Both parties emphasized the critical role of dialogue and reconciliation in addressing contemporary global challenges—an affirmation of values long championed by the Vatican’s diplomatic service.
This kind of engagement reflects a deeper institutional continuity that the Vatican cultivates. Unlike secular governments, the Holy See’s diplomatic apparatus is not solely tied to the office of the pope; it is a sovereign entity with legal personhood in international law. In this light, the Vatican remains a unique player in global diplomacy—both a spiritual leader and a state actor, capable of exercising soft power even amid leadership transitions.
The visit by Zimbabwe’s vice president comes at a moment of subtle recalibration in the country’s own internal affairs. As Zimbabwe continues to grapple with economic instability, political tensions, and international scrutiny, strengthening ties with the Vatican—a moral authority with global reach—may offer both symbolic and strategic benefits. For the Holy See, maintaining an open channel with African nations like Zimbabwe aligns with its broader commitment to global south engagement, peacebuilding, and the promotion of human dignity.
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