The Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, fell ill while visiting Sri Lanka to commemorate 50 years of diplomatic relations with the Holy See.
Archbishop Gallagher, who arrived in Sri Lanka on November 3, met with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, and Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath. However, he was unable to complete his remaining engagements due to a sudden illness.
The 72-year-old Vatican official had experienced a minor heart ailment during his flight to Colombo, which reportedly escalated into a more serious condition the following day, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Minister Herath confirmed that Archbishop Gallagher was admitted to the National Hospital in Colombo, where he is receiving treatment from a team of specialists.
The Archbishop had been scheduled to visit churches targeted in the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks of 2019, attend a Thanksgiving Mass at St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Colombo, and meet with the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters.
Following his meeting with Archbishop Gallagher, Minister Herath issued a statement emphasizing Sri Lanka’s view of the Holy See as a partner and a steadfast advocate for dialogue, inclusivity, and the protection of religious freedom for all communities.
“We look forward to exploring new avenues for collaboration, particularly on global issues such as environmental sustainability and the challenges facing developing nations,” he added.
