TALISAY CITY -- Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia arrived in Negros Occidental Friday afternoon for various engagements.
Last Friday, February 10, he will attend the 30th founding anniversary of the Diocese of San Carlos.
Upon his arrival at the airport, the Papal Nuncio was welcomed by Silay City Mayor Mark Golez.
He then made a stop here to meet with Sagay City Mayor Alfredo Marañon III, who represented his father Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., at the Nature’s Village Resort.
He was joined by Bishop Patricio Buzon of the Diocese of Bacolod and Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Diocese San Carlos.
The Papal Nuncio held a closed-door meeting with the two bishops.
Buzon, however, begged off when asked what was discussed during the meeting.
The Papal Nuncio then proceeded to San Carlos later in the afternoon.
Caccia, a native of Milan, Italy, was appointed by Pope Francies as nuncio to the Philippines last September.
He succeeded Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, also an Italian, following the latter’s transfer to Croatia in July last year.
Monsignor Eugene Peral, vicar general of San Carlos City Diocese, said the mass at San Carlos Borromeo Cathedral today will start 10 a.m.
The Papal Nuncio is also expected to give the message of the Pope.
Peral said they are expecting many Catholic faithful to attend the mass.
The Diocese of San Carlos is comprised of 46 parishes in the towns of Manapla, Toboso, Calatrava, Salvador Benedicto and the cities of San Carlos, Escalante, Cadiz and Sagay in Negros Occidental; and towns of La Libertad and Vallehermoso and the cities of Canlaon and Guihulngan in Negros Oriental.