Amb. Wang (2nd fr. right) w/ Fr. Battera, Boer (middle) & Esposito
On March 11, members of the Catholic Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, which included Father Alessandro Traccanelli, layman Tomaso Boer, President of the International Interreligious Center for Immigration Studies, Alessandro Esposito, Honorary Chairman of the said Center, and Prof. Federico Battera of the University of Trieste, called on ROC Ambassador to the Holy See H.E. Ambassador Larry Yu-yuan Wang.
Ambassador Larry Wang was honored to receive members of the said Diocese, which was the original Diocese of Cardinal Celso Benigno Luigi Costantini (1876-1958), the first Apostolic Delegate to China appointed by Pope Pius XI in 1922 who contributed to the turning point in the modernization and inculturization in the Christian Faith in China. They specifically came to the Chancery to invite Ambassador Larry Wang to visit the tomb of Cardinal Costantini, who is buried in the cemetery of Zoppola (close to Pordenone) next to the grave of his brother, who was an Archbishop.
The Italian guests also gave Ambassador Larry Wang the latest book on Cardinal Costantini written by Prof. Msgr. Bruno Fabio Pighin as a token of their respect and friendship.
Costantini presided over the First Chinese Council celebrated in Shanghai in 1924 and instigated the first Chinese Episcopal Hierarchy. In 1931, Costantini established the Congregation of the Lord’s Disciples, a Chinese Congregation that has spread to various parts of Asia.
After hosting a lunch in their honour, Ambassador Larry Wang heartily thanked the Italian guests and promised them to give serious consideration to their invitation to visit the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone.
