State House says President Edgar Lungu today invited the Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi, Archibishop Julio Murat to a meeting where various issues were discussed including the current relationship between the Patriotic Front government and the Catholic Church.

“The meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio was open, cordial and fruitful,” State House Press aide Amos Chanda said in a statement released late Saturday.

“The President and Nuncio discussed a broad range of issues including the relationship between Church and State and the role of the Church in promoting dialogue and National unity. The Church has a spiritual role to play by counselling us whenever the need arises.”

Chanda said President Lungu will soon meet Catholic Bishops who have been wanting to dialogue with him.

“In line with his continued dialogue with church the president will in coming days be meeting with Catholic Bishops to continue on the steps he authorized the Vice-President to undertake this week,” Chanda said.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of Zambia, we appreciate the Holy See’s commendation of government’s open door policy and the considerable access he has afforded the church since he ascended to power in 2015.”

He said President Lungu was grateful for the support his government was getting from the Catholic Church.

“We deeply appreciate the support that the Catholic Church renders to the Zambian Government and indeed the people of Zambia and we therefore want to see a united body of Christ so that unity can cascade down to all sections of Zambian society,” Chanda quoted the President as saying.