Pope Francis has led Sunday Mass in Mongolia for a large portion of the country’s Catholics. Hundreds of worshipers gathered in the Steppe Arena in the capital Ulaanbaatar, where ice hockey is normally played. Of the more than 3.3 million Mongols, an estimated 1450 are Catholic.
Francis is the first pope ever to visit Mongolia. The visit also aims to improve relations between the church and China. The bishop of Hong Kong and about 40 other Chinese attended Mass, and the pope called on Catholics in China to be “good Christians and good citizens”.
Greetings to China
“I would like to take the opportunity to send my warmest regards to the noble Chinese,” the pope said at the end of the mass. “I wish all Chinese people well.” Francis said yesterday that the Catholic Church has no political agenda. He seemed to be directing that message to China. Secular authorities therefore have nothing to fear from the church, the pope said.
The pope arrived on Friday for a four-day visit to the predominantly Buddhist country. He was warmly welcomed:
- Pope visits Catholic mini-community in Mongolia, where half are Buddhists
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