Francesco landed at Chinggis Khaan International Airport in the capital Ulaanbaatar at 9:51 a.m. local time, six hours ahead of Italy. A sober ceremony with applause and gifts awaits the official welcome tomorrow, September 2nd
Salvatore Cernuzio – sent to Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).
A light wind, protecting from the intense heat, welcomed Pope Francis in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, where the Pope landed at 9:51 a.m. (local time) and will begin his 43rd apostolic journey from today, September 1st to 4th will be his pontificate. The first trip of a Pope to this Central Asian country, as already mentioned in recent days and repeated by local radio and television stations, underlining the “historic” nature of the visit.
A sober but warm welcome
While greeting information workers aboard the plane, Francis spoke about the Asian country and highlighted its “quiet” culture. “Mongolia is…
The information from the media keeps coming back, increasing the curiosity of the non-Catholic part of the population, that is, the majority, mainly Tibetan Buddhists, about the arrival of a “character” of universal fame. On the city streets, as with any of the pope’s foreign trips, it is difficult to find banners and signs, let alone crowds. It is a sober welcome, reserved for the Pope, but deeply felt, and above all a feeling of gratitude on the part of the Catholic “little band”: “So towards a dear relative who you know will visit you at home.” say some Consolata missionaries. Even at Chinggis Khan International Airport there seems to be silence upon the Pope’s arrival, something the Pope himself invited us to reflect on during the outbound flight from Rome with the words of the young Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Prefect Apostolic of Ulaanbaatar, in the front row in the welcome line at the airport, says he really enjoyed it.
The Pope’s arrival in Ulaanbaatar
The Pope’s Arrival
The capital of Mongolia, which Francis will visit from September 1 to 4, presents a disorderly urban panorama of Soviet barracks and newly constructed buildings that…
At around 10 a.m. the ITA Airways A330 stopped on the apron. The Apostolic Nunciature’s Chargé d’Affaires, Monsignor Fernando Duarte Barros Reis, and the chief of protocol boarded the plane from the front steps to greet the pope, who later descended in the elevator. Waiting for him at the foot of the front steps was the Foreign Minister, Ms. Batmunkh Battsetseg: In Mongolia, foreign heads of state are always welcomed in this position.
Another woman, a young woman in a red deel (which is the national dress made of silk and cotton), offered the Pope a cup of dry yogurt, a traditional local dish with a sour taste made from yak milk and one of the most common animals as well Cows, goats and horses. The Pope touched the cup with his hand and then took a piece of yogurt. There were no speeches, just the honor guard with the soldiers in the traditional red-blue-yellow uniform (the colors of the Mongolian flag) and the greeting of the respective delegations. Also present was Monsignor José Luis Mumbiela Sierra, Bishop of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity in Almaty, as President of the Central Asian Bishops’ Conference.
The range of dry yoghurt
Reception in the Apostolic Prefecture
The Pope and the minister then reached the VIP lounge for a short conversation. At the end, welcome from Francis and transfer by car to the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, south of the city, in the Khan Uul district, one of the region’s most important industrial areas. This four-story orange brick building, on which a blue welcome banner has been installed in recent days, is where Jorge Mario Bergoglio will reside during the travel days, stopping only in the capital. The official welcoming ceremony will take place tomorrow morning, September 2, in Sukhbaatar Square, where the State Palace is located and where the meeting with the civil authorities will take place, the first date of Pope Francis’ trip. Meanwhile, upon his arrival in the prefecture, the Pope was greeted by a group of elderly and sick people, then some children greeted him at the entrance and honored him with flowers.
A tribute to the Pope upon his arrival in the Apostolic Prefecture
Telegrams to the authorities of the countries flown over
During the approximately nine and a half hour flight, in addition to the telegram addressed to the President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella, Francesco also sent telegrams to the other countries flown over during the trip. In the message addressed to the Croatian President, Zoran Milanović recalled his recent visit to the Vatican (in 2021) and invoked “abundant blessings for the nation” and “gifts of peace and joy”. The pope assured Bosnia and Herzegovina’s presidential spokesman Zeljmko Komšić of his prayers and invoked “the almighty blessing of unity, brotherhood and harmony for the nation.” “Prayers for peace and unity of the nation” were also expressed in the telegram addressed to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and “peace and well-being” was wished to the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović. Here too, the “gifts of unity, joy and peace” are accompanied by the telegram to President Rumen Radev with the papal blessing for Bulgaria. In his message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the entire people, Francis assured his prayers and invoked “the divine blessing of fraternal harmony and peace for the nation.”
To the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, Francis sent God’s blessing for the nation and its fellow citizens and the prayer that he may give everyone “their gifts of unity and harmony.” “May the nation be blessed by brotherhood and peace.” Pope Bergoglio wrote in his telegram to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev: “I willingly request divine blessing for all of you.” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev flew over Kazakhstan and received the prayers of the Bishop of Rome, “that the Almighty may grant abundant blessings to the nation.”
Finally, Pope Francis addressed China’s President Xi Jinping with “a greeting of best wishes as I crossed his country’s airspace on the way to Mongolia.” “I assure you of my prayers for the well-being of the nation,” we read – I invoke upon you all the divine blessing of unity and peace.
The floral homage of some Mongolian children to the Pope