The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana His Excellency Mahamadu Bawumia, on Friday, February 3 received the Pope’s special envoy to Ghana, His Eminence Cardinal Guiseppe Bertello together with the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana His Excellency Jean Marie Speich at the flagstaff house.

The diplomatic meeting follows the nomination of Cardinal Bertello by Pope Francis as his special envoy to Ghana for the 60th anniversary and re-consecration of Ghana to the sacred heart of Jesus and for the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and the Holy See.

The meeting with the vice president is to strengthen the relationship between Ghana and the Holy See and to congratulate the Catholic Church for her contribution to peace and development in Ghana.

Speaking at a press conference later on Friday at the Apostolic Nunciature, Cardinal Bertello said coming back to Ghana is coming back to his first love as an Apostolic Nuncio.

“It is a kind of pilgrimage for me because I was in Ghana some 30 years ago. I feel very honoured because the Pope has appointed me as his special envoy for three events. It is a sign of the Church that we must put in place the re-consecration of Ghana to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and secondly the 4oth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and the Holy See and to participate on behalf of the Pope the 60th anniversary of Ghana’s independence.

So for me it is an important moment. I am honoured and I am also glad to be with you. I say always that Ghana is my first love. I have spent 25 years as an Apostolic Nuncio but Ghana was my first hence, my first love” Cardinal Bertello said.

The ceremony to re-consecrate Ghana to the most sacred heart of Jesus will be done in an ecumenical and inter-faith prayer service at the holy spirit cathedral, Accra, on Saturday, march 04, 2017 from 5 pm and will be presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Guiseppe Bertello, the Pope’s special envoy to Ghana, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana Most Rev. Jean Marie Speich and the president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh together with other bishops with the participation of other dignitaries.

The ceremony is in commemoration and celebration of the 60th anniversary of the consecration of Ghana to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus which took place on March 3, 1957 at the Holy Spirit Cathedral, Accra and 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and the Holy See.

Cardinal Bertello is the president of the governatorate of the Vatican City State and the president of the pontifical commission for the Vatican.

He holds the 2nd position next to Pope Francis, the rank of a vice president of a country.