The Bishops of the Inter-territorial Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sierra Leone and The Gambia (ITCABIC), alongside their counterparts from Liberia, have departed for Rome to undertake the Ad Limina Apostolorum visit—a significant tradition in the Catholic Church that underscores unity with the Vatican.
The term Ad Limina Apostolorum, a Latin expression meaning “to the thresholds of the Apostles,” refers to the sacred pilgrimage bishops make to Rome to pray at the tombs of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
The bishops, including the Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia – the Most Rev. Dr. Gabriel Blamo Jubwe and the Most Rev Andrew Jagaye Karnley, arrived in Rome on Sunday evening, March 22, and began their first full day of activities on Monday, March 23, with Holy Mass at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome.
Following the Mass, the bishops held two important meetings in the morning with officials of the Dicastery for Communication and the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. These discussions form part of the structured consultations that characterize the Ad Limina visit, offering bishops an opportunity to engage directly with Vatican departments on matters affecting the Church in their respective countries.
The visit brings together bishops from the three West African nations, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia, who are in Rome for spiritual renewal, administrative consultations, and to strengthen their communion with the Holy See.
The Ad Limina Apostolorum visit is a longstanding tradition of the Catholic Church, requiring bishops to report on the state of their dioceses while deepening their spiritual connection through prayer at the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul.
The delegation is expected to continue its meetings with various Vatican dicasteries throughout the week.
