The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, has asked for special prayers for the people of Burma.
Dr Martin made the appeal at a liturgical reception in Dublin's Pro Cathedral to welcome the new Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza.
The reception was attended by members of the Government, the diplomatic corps, and representatives of other Christian Churches.
New Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, represented the government.
Meanwhile, a referendum is under way in parts of Burma, where the country's military rulers are asking voters to approve a new constitution.
The poll comes a week after tens of thousands of people were killed in cyclone Nargis.
The military government has ignored calls to delay the ballot and to focus instead on helping the estimated 1.5m people still in desperate need of aid.
The UN has launched an appeal for almost €121m to provide aid to those affected by the cyclone.
Burma says almost 23,000 people died in the disaster, but the UN believes the death toll could reach 100,000.
Aid agencies say they are frustrated by the government's reluctance to allow international aid teams into the country.
