Headline: Pope Francis Sends Warm Greetings to Chinese People During Mongolia Visit
Subheadline: Vatican aims to improve relations with China while focusing on Mongolia
ULAN BATOR. – Pope Francis sent “warm greetings to the noble Chinese people” during his visit to Mongolia on Sunday, in an effort to boost relations between the Vatican and Beijing.
“To Chinese Catholics, I ask you to be good Christians and good citizens,” said the 86-year-old Pope, emphasizing the importance of faith and citizenship. The Vatican hopes to shift attention to Mongolia and its 1,450 Catholics, despite the backdrop of religious repression faced by neighboring China.
This historical papal trip to Mongolia, a Central Asian country between Russia and China, is aimed at achieving two goals. The first is to reach an isolated region where Catholicism is a minority, and the second is to take advantage of the geographical proximity to China in order to improve relations with Beijing.
On Sunday, the Supreme Pontiff officiated a mass in an ice hockey stadium in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, showing his support for the small Catholic community. With an enthusiastic crowd in attendance, the Pope toured the stadium in a vehicle, escorted by the youngest cardinal in the world, Giorgio Marengo.
During the liturgy, Pope Francis used the image of nomads herding their animals to convey the idea that “We are all nomads of God, pilgrims in search of happiness, travelers thirsty for love,” emphasizing that the Christian faith satisfies this longing.
The visit comes amidst tensions between the Vatican and China, as the Holy See does not have diplomatic relations with Beijing. However, the Pope affirmed during a meeting with Catholic missionaries that the Church’s work of evangelization does not have a political agenda.
Despite the risks of reprisals upon their return, many Chinese pilgrims traveled to see the Pope. One attendee shared that it was quite difficult for them to come due to the detention of the organizers of their pilgrimage.
In a meeting with representatives of other Mongolian religions, Pope Francis emphasized the potential of religious traditions to benefit society, stating that their diversity has an impressive potential.
The Holy See renewed an agreement with Beijing last year, allowing both parties to have a say in the appointment of bishops in China. Critics argue that this is a dangerous concession by the Vatican.
The Pope will conclude his visit to Mongolia on Monday.
Source: Reuters and AFP agencies