Pope Francis has always expressed a desire to visit Russia and China as part of his efforts to heal historical divisions within the church and secure the faith’s future in the populous East. Recently, he came close to achieving this goal by visiting Mongolia, a country situated between the two geopolitical giants, which had never before been visited by a pope.
During his remarks on the plane to Mongolia, Francis acknowledged the small number of inhabitants in the country but praised its rich culture. He described his visit as an opportunity to embrace a church that may be small in number but is vibrant in faith and charity.
However, some observers are questioning why Francis, who is in his 80s and often uses a wheelchair, traveled over 5,000 miles to visit fewer than 1,500 Catholics in a country where a significant portion of the predominantly nomadic population of 3.3 million have no knowledge of him. According to a pollster, many Mongolians do not even know who the pope is.
The Vatican has stated that the primary reason for the visit is to encourage the small Catholic community, in line with Francis’ emphasis on highlighting the church’s peripheries. Mongolia has a significant percentage of its population with no religious identity, with the majority identifying as Buddhist. Only a small portion are Christians.
Last year, Francis surprised the Vatican by making an Italian missionary stationed in Ulaanbaatar a cardinal and offering him a role in the Vatican’s powerful office for evangelization. The cardinal described the growth of Christianity in Mongolia as gradual but steady. Nevertheless, the numbers remain very small, and there seems to be little buzz surrounding the papal visit.
In addition to meeting the Mongolian church, Francis will also meet with representatives from various faiths in Mongolia to promote interreligious tolerance. The polluted and overcrowded city of Ulaanbaatar will provide a platform for the pope to address themes of migration and the environment, which are central to his papacy.
Mongolia, with its struggles related to climate change, mining, and overproduction of cashmere, will allow Francis to emphasize the need to protect the environment. Mongolia’s unique national identity centered around eagles and horses, along with its livestock outnumbering humans, further reinforces the urgency of this message.
The four-day visit, which Francis calls a visit to the “heart of Asia,” includes meetings with Mongolia’s prime minister, local clergy, and Catholic charity groups. However, the visit also places Francis in proximity to the leaders of neighboring countries, Russia and China, with whom he has complex relationships.
In 2018, Francis made a secretive deal with the Chinese government to improve collaboration over the appointment of bishops, despite criticism regarding religious liberty. China’s continued crackdown on religious minorities and its unilateral appointment of bishops have strained relations. It remains uncertain if Chinese Catholics will cross the border to meet the pope during his visit to Mongolia.
The Vatican sees Mongolia as a potential intermediary to improve relations with China due to its location and close economic and political ties. The pope’s flight to Mongolia will pass over Chinese airspace, allowing him to send a customary greeting to President Xi Jinping.
Similarly, Francis has been engaged in efforts to reconcile the Eastern and Western churches, particularly with the Russian Orthodox Church. However, Russia’s actions in Ukraine have complicated these efforts. Despite this, the pope continues to express a desire for reconciliation and has made statements praising Russia’s culture and history.
Although Mongolia’s proximity to these two neighboring powers adds significance to the visit, the Vatican has made it clear that the focus is solely on Mongolia. When asked about possible meetings with Chinese or Russian officials, the pope’s spokesman emphasized that the trip’s primary purpose is to engage with the people of Mongolia.
Nonetheless, global powers are still on the pope’s mind, as evident when a reporter showed him a canteen from a Ukrainian soldier and asked about the challenges of diplomacy. Francis responded by acknowledging the difficulty and emphasizing the importance of humor in those situations.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
