Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Vassilenko met with Apostolic Nuncio to Kazakhstan, Archbishop George Panamthundil, DKnews.kz reports.
At the outset of the meeting, Deputy Minister Vassilenko conveyed the best wishes from Kazakhstan’s leadership for the speedy recovery of Pope Francis.
The conversation focused on the current state and future prospects of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Holy See, particularly in the fields of history, culture, science, and medicine. Both sides noted the steady strengthening of political dialogue and highly valued their interaction on various international platforms.
They highlighted the importance of implementing the agreements reached during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to the Vatican in January 2024. In this regard, Archbishop Panamthundil welcomed the opening of Kazakhstan’s new Embassy to the Holy See past January.
Special attention was given to preparations for the upcoming VIII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which will be held in Astana in September 2025.
Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and the Holy See were established on October 17, 1992. The Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See in Kazakhstan was opened on December 16, 2001. Currently, 117 Roman Catholic religious institutions operate in Kazakhstan, serving a community of approximately 120,000 Catholic believers.
