The Autonomous Region of Bougainville warmly welcomed His Eminence Luis Antonio G. Cardinal Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and Special Envoy of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, who arrived in Bougainville on Friday 14th August 2026 for the 125th Jubilee Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Bougainville.

Cardinal Tagle was accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Maurizio Bravi, Apostolic Nuncio to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, and Rev. Fr. Lawrence Arockiaraj, General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and Solomon Islands.

The delegation was welcomed at Buka Airport by an ABG delegation including ABG Member for Tsitalato Constituency, Hon. John Bosco Ragu; ABG Minister for Community Development and Public Service, Hon. Melvin Wilolopa; Regional Member for Bougainville, Hon. Peter Tsiamalili Junior; Bishop of the Bougainville Diocese, Darius Kaluza; and ABG Heads of Departments.

The delegation later paid a courtesy visit to ABG President, His Excellency Ishmael Toroama, at his residence in Buka. President Toroama warmly welcomed the delegation and thanked them for gracing Bougainville with their presence for the historic 125th Jubilee Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Bougainville.