Archbishop of Panama concludes novena in Seville

The Archbishop of Panama, Monsignor José Domingo Ulloa, concluded the novena in honor of the Virgen de los Reyes, the patron saint of Seville, at the Seville Cathedral. During the closing mass, Ulloa reflected on the deep historical and religious connections between the Spanish and Panamanian churches.

Ulloa described his presence in Seville not as a visitor, but as “a son who has come to give thanks to the house where some of the first pages of his family's history in faith began to be written.” He paid tribute to those who traveled from Seville to the Americas over five centuries ago to spread the Gospel, noting that while the historical process had “limits, contradictions, and shadows,” it brought the faith to new lands.

He specifically referenced the establishment of the Diocese of Santa María la Antigua del Darién in 1513, the first diocese of Tierra Firme in the Americas, highlighting the shared spiritual lineage between the two regions.