Rome.- The Vatican’s Secretary of State on Thursday stated "Pope Francis’ deep gratitude" and thanked Dominican Republic’s Ambassador for the note sent on December 30 informing of the Dominican people’s support for Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus López Rodriguez.
It also says the Pope bestowed the ‘apostolic blessing” on Dominican ambassador Victor Grimaldi and his loved ones.
Grimaldi delivered the letter to the Papacy on December 30 in response to statements by author Mario Vargas Llosa against the Cardinal.
Pope Francis, who met with the diplomats accredited to the Vatican on Monday, ratified Lopez Rodriguez as Dominican Republic’s only Cardinal.