POPE FRANCIS STARTS HIS APOSTOLIC VISIT TO MONGOLIA

His Holiness Pope Francis has arrived in Mongolia for an apostolic visit at the invitation of the President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh. Papal plane landed at "Chinggis Khaan" International Airport at 10 a.m. on September 1, 2023. 74 international journalists accompanied him on the plane. Currently, 145 international media representatives have arrived in Mongolia to report on the Apostolic visit of Pope Francis.

Pope Francis was greeted by a state honour guard and officials led by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Battsetseg Batmunkh. In addition to cardinals and bishops from the Holy See and other countries, a total of 273 people including 97 Mongolian parishioners and 150 pilgrims welcomed the Pope at the airport.

Pope Francis' Apostolic Visit to our country will continue until September 4, and his official welcoming ceremony will be held tomorrow, September 2, at Sukhbaatar Square. After the meeting with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, Prime Minister Luvsannamsrayin Oyun-Erdene and Speaker of the State Great Khural Gombojavyn Zandanshatar will pay the courtesy call on Pope Francis.

On September 3, Pope Francis will attend an Ecumenical And Interreligious Meeting with representatives of other traditional religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, and Shamanism at Hun Theatre and meet with bishops, priests, missionaries, consecrated persons and pastoral workers at Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Ulaanbaatar.

The delegation of Pope Francis' 43rd Apostolic Visit included high-ranking prelates led by Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch,  Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.