Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher is the Vatican's Secretary for Relations with States. Photo: Vatican News

According to Father Joseph Dao Nguyen Vu, Chief of the Office of the Vietnam Bishops' Conference, this will be the first visit at the Vatican Secretary of State level to Vietnam.

Archbishop Gallagher will meet with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son and greet leaders of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Government Committee for Religious Affairs.

He is scheduled  to visit the National Children's Hospital in Hanoi, which has cooperated medically with Rome's Bambino Gesù Hospital since 2005.

During the trip, Archbishop Gallagher will celebrate Mass at the cathedrals of Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City and meet with the Vietnam Bishops' Conference.