The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, yesterday made an official trip to the Holy See, where he visited the works of the Chancellery of Spain, attached to the Obra Pia-Spanish Establishments in Italy, and discussed with the Secretary for Relations with the States of the Holy See, Monsignor Paul Gallagher, current issues, such as the aggression against Ukraine, the Spanish Presidency or the political situation in Latin America.
During the meeting, the Foreign Minister explained to Gallagher the measures that the European Union has adopted against Vladimir Putin’s regime in response to the invasion of Ukraine, the seven packages of economic and trade sanctions approved to date and the unanimous condemnation of “both the mock consultation and the annexation of Ukrainian territories to the Russian Federation”.
Besides, he informed of Spain’s contribution to alleviate this crisis, such as the humanitarian aid of 38 million Euros to Ukraine and bordering countries, the reception of citizens of that country at the beginning of the invasion and the delivery of military material to contribute to the defense of the country. The meeting took place a day after Pope Francis dedicated the entire Angelus to ask the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to stop the war and the President of Ukraine, Volodymir Zelensky, to be open to “serious peace proposals”.
The Minister also referred to the Spanish Presidency of the Union, in the second half of 2023, during which Spain will work to “strengthen the closeness of the European institutions to the citizens and will give special importance to the Social Pillar, among other objectives”, as reported by the Ministry in its press release. Albares also stressed to Monsignor Gallagher Spain’s commitment to multilateralism.
The Minister also took advantage of his trip to Rome to visit the progress of the works of the Chancellery of Spain, a building assigned to the Obra Pia. The project for the construction of the new Chancellery of the Spanish Embassy in Italy, which will be located in a building of the Embassy in Piazza Navona, was signed on March 8 by the Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See (and governor of the Obra Pia), Isabel Celaá, in the presence of the architect of the Obra Pia and dean of the College of Architects of Rome, Cristian Rocchi. The building is being completely renovated and the inauguration is scheduled for March 2023.
The Obra Pia-Spanish Establishments in Italy is a non-profit legal entity based in Rome that carries out social, cultural, artistic and heritage protection and conservation initiatives. It is historically entrusted to the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See under the protection of “diplomatic protection”. The governing body of the Obra Pia is the Board, composed of seven Spaniards residing in Rome – who are members only in an honorary and gratuitous capacity – and presided over by the Spanish Ambassador to the Holy See as Governatore.
Its origins are the Obra Pia of Castile, from the 11th century, and the Obra Pia of Aragon, from the 13th century. The patrimony of the Obra Pia is the result of donations and foundations throughout the centuries – mainly in the 15th century – for the assistance of Spanish priests and pilgrims in Rome. Formerly it had assets in various Italian cities, such as Naples, Turin, Assisi and Loreto, but today it only manages assets in Rome (Spanish National Church of Santiago and Montserrat, Church of San Pietro in Montorio, Pantheon of the Spanish in the cemetery of Campo Verano and up to 25 buildings) and Palermo (Santa Eulalia of the Catalans, seat of the Cervantes Institute; Chapel of Solitude, Chapel of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli and two other buildings).
