Nigeria, May 16 -- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday for Rome to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, following an invitation from the Vatican.

Tinubu, accompanied by top Catholic leaders, will participate in the solemn mass marking the official start of the new Pontificate at St. Peter's Square on Sunday, May 18.

In a formal invitation, Cardinal Pietro Parolin conveyed the Pope's request for Tinubu's presence, calling it "a moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and a world afflicted by many tensions."

Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, noted his fond ties to Nigeria, having served in Lagos during the 1980s.

Joining the president are Minister of State for Foreign Affai...