New York, USA (Tuesday, September 22, 2015, Gaudium Press) The Vatican flag will be raised at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York City for the first time on Friday to mark the visit of Pope Francis.
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| A Vatican flag (CNS) |
However, there will not be a ceremony for the raising of the flag ahead of the Pope’s address to the UN, the Holy See’s mission said, according to AFP.
A resolution had previously been put forward to allow the flags of the Vatican and the Palestine, which both have non-member observer status at the UN, to fly. This resolution was strongly backed by the Palestininians, but the Vatican did not push for the flags to be raised.
“The Holy See and the United Nations secretariat have agreed that the flag will be raised with no ceremony” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Vatican’s UN ambassador.
“UN personnel will raise it at the same time they will raise the other flags that day,” he added. Pope Francis will arrive in the US later today. During his time in the country he will visit Washington and Philadelphia, as well as New York
Source Catholic Herald
