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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Statements

Congratulatory Letters from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong to Pope Leo XIV

Country

Holy See

9 May 2025

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong have written to Pope Leo XIV to congratulate him on his election to the papacy on 8 May 2025.

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President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong have written to Pope Leo XIV to congratulate him on his election to the papacy on 8 May 2025. The texts of their letters are appended

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

9 MAY 2025

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9 May 2025

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

The Holy See

Your Holiness,

On behalf of the people of the Republic of Singapore, I extend my warmest congratulations on your election as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.

Singapore values the contributions of the Catholic Church to our national development. Since our early days, the Church has played a role in the provision of education, healthcare, and social services. These efforts have helped promote a culture of compassion and inclusiveness that has benefited people of all backgrounds in Singapore.

As a multi-racial and multi-religious country, we value the Church’s message of inclusion and its role in fostering interfaith dialogue and understanding. We also welcome the growing relationship between Singapore and the Holy See. We were honoured to have hosted the State Visit by the late Pope Francis to Singapore last year.

Please accept, Your Holiness, my best wishes for your continued good health and success.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam

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9 May 2025

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

The Holy See

Your Holiness,

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Singapore, I congratulate you on your election as Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.

Singapore and the Holy See have longstanding and warm relations built on a shared interest in promoting peace and interfaith understanding. Our relations have strengthened over the years, including through late Pope Francis’ State Visit to Singapore in September 2024. The Catholic Church has done good work in Singapore to serve the underprivileged, to help foster a spirit of inclusiveness, and to encourage interreligious dialogue. I look forward to the continued deepening of ties between Singapore and the Holy See in the years ahead. 

I wish Your Holiness good health and every success.

Yours Sincerely,

Lawrence Wong

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