The Embassy of Malaysia to The Holy See received 80 pilgrims from Sabah undertaking their pilgrimage tour at the Vatican. A mss was held on the occasion of Pesta Kaamatan of the Harvest festival, followed by a cultural dance performance outside the Vatican Basilica.
The mass was conducted in Kadazandusun, one of the language of the momogun communities of Sabah. The cultural performance attracted a lot of curious visitors to Vatican City. The Malaysian pilgrims explained to them that the languages and cultures of the indigenous communities of East Malaysia have been accepted by the churches which have in fact contributed to the preservation of a Malaysian culture. Subsequently, TYT Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok, Ambassador of Malaysia to The Holy See hosted a dinner for the pilgrims at his residence to celebrate Pesta Kaamatan.
Among the attendees to the events were the Ambassadors of the Republic of Korea, Japan and Taiwan as well as Malaysian diaspora in Rome and Vatican City.