April 3, 2014: Pope Francis on Thursday met with the Prime Minister of the Republic
of Cape Verde, José Maria Pereira Neves. Cape Verde is a Portuguese speaking island
nation located in the Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Africa. It has
a population of over 500,000, of which over 75% is Catholic.
After his meeting
with Pope Francis, the Prime Minister met with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro
Parolin, Secretary of State, and the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop
Dominique Mamberti, to exchange the instruments of ratification of the Agreement between
the Holy See and the Republic of Cape Verde on the Statute of the Juridical Status
of the Catholic Church in Cape Verde, signed in Praia June 10, 2013.
The Agreement
further strengthens the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two Parties,
consisting of thirty articles and establishing the legal and regulatory framework
for relations; it recognizes Sunday as a holiday and regulates various areas of common
interest, such as the protection of places of worship and religious celebrations;
it deals with the civil effects of marriage and canonical effects of ecclesiastical
matters; it guarantees Catholic institutions of education and training as well as
dealing with the teaching of religion in schools; it recognizes the welfare and charitable
activities of the Church; it also provides for pastoral care in the military, in prison
facilities and hospitals; and covers various economic and tax matters.
In an
address at the signing ceremony, Cardinal Parolin said the signing of the agreement
was a “historic event” for the Church in Cape Verde, and a sign of the “excellent
cooperation” between the political authorities and the Catholic community.