ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, Sept 1 (Portal) – Pope Francis, sometimes hailed as a superstar on foreign trips, arrived in Mongolia on Friday to the delight of Mongolia’s small Catholic community, but his presence made little stir in the predominantly Buddhist country.
The plane carrying Francis and his entourage landed after an overnight flight of nearly 10 hours, and the pope, who is 86 and uses a wheelchair, rested for the rest of the day.
His first appointment is on Saturday, when he will take part in an official welcoming ceremony and address heads of government and diplomats.
At the airport, a woman in traditional clothing offered the pope solid yogurt, a common Mongolian welcoming gesture, before he was pushed past an honor guard wearing ornate blue and red uniforms and holding rifles.
Aside from the flags of Mongolia and the Vatican on poles on the highway and the traffic jam reinforced by the passing motorcade, there was little sign that the pope was in town.
One of the few banners on his motorcade’s route to the modern capital, which is surrounded by a largely barren expanse, was held aloft by Catholics from Vietnam, a country once hostile to Western religions but which has recently improved its relations with the Vatican .
There are only 1,450 Catholics in Mongolia, led by Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, who began his work in the country more than 20 years ago as a young priest.
[1/10]Pope Francis tastes dried yogurt as part of a welcoming tradition as he arrives at Chinggis Khaan International Airport during his apostolic journey in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Sept. 1, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via Portal acquire license rights
Visiting places where Catholics are a minority is part of Francis’ policy to draw attention to what he calls people and problems on the margins of society and the world. He did not visit most of the capitals of Western Europe.
Speaking to reporters on a plane from Rome, Francis said he was looking forward to visiting even part of the vast country, saying it had “a small population but a great culture.”
Francis, who underwent intestinal surgery in June, looked relatively fit as he walked through the reporters’ area of the plane, leaning on his cane, stopping to chat.
As usual, Francis, who is not only the head of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics but also head of state, sent greetings to the heads of all the countries he flew over, including China, with which the Vatican has difficult relations.
He expressed his good wishes for the entire Chinese people to Chinese President Xi Jinping, assuring him that he was praying for the “well-being of the nation.”
China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Before Francis leaves on Monday, he will preside over several religious events, the centerpiece of which will be a mass in the Steppe Arena on Sunday.
He will also attend an interfaith service and open a charity center to help those in need regardless of their religion.
Edited by Christian Schmollinger, Robert Birsel
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