The Vatican and Vietnam are on the cusp of a major breakthrough in their long-strained relations, with the communist-run country poised to allow the Holy See to establish a resident representative. The development follows more than a decade of negotiations, with an agreement in principle reached last year. Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong is expected to announce the deal during his visit to the Vatican later this month, according to senior Vatican officials and Hanoi-based diplomats.
The establishment of a resident papal representative marks a significant step towards normalizing relations between the two sides. Vietnam broke ties with the Vatican in 1975, following the communist takeover of the reunited country. At the time, the authorities viewed the Catholic Church in Vietnam as having had too close historical ties with France, the former colonial power.
Despite this, the Catholic Church in Vietnam remains a significant force, with nearly 7 million adherents, making up around 6.6% of the population. While the government has placed certain restrictions on Catholic activities, such as the number of parishes, the constitution nominally guarantees freedom of religion. Government media have dismissed criticisms from organizations like the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which has placed Vietnam on its list of “countries of particular concern”.
Pope Francis meets with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong
The resident pontifical representative would be a significant departure from the current arrangement, where the current Vatican nuncio is based in Singapore and makes occasional working visits to Vietnam. The establishment of a resident representative could ultimately lead to full diplomatic relations, although this may take years, given the joint working group has been in operation since 2009.
The Vatican, as a sovereign city-state, has diplomatic relations with around 180 countries, and the normalization of relations with Vietnam would mark a significant step forward for the Holy See.
