ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia: Pope Francis embarked on a historic journey to Mongolia, commencing the first-ever papal visit to this Asian nation.
As he set foot on Mongolian soil, he offered words of admiration for the country’s rich tradition of religious freedom, dating back to the era of Genghis Khan, and earnestly pleaded for peace while addressing the pressing issue of corruption.
Inside the stately palace, Pope Francis met with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh inside a traditional Mongolian ger, a round yurt. In the guest book, he inscribed his profound sentiments, describing Mongolia as “a country young and ancient, modern and rich in tradition,” emphasizing his role as a “pilgrim of peace” and praying for the vast Mongolian sky to “illuminate new paths of fraternity.”
This momentous visit serves a dual purpose for Pope Francis. Firstly, he is here to minister to Mongolia’s budding Catholic community, comprising 1,450 faithful. Secondly, it marks a significant diplomatic endeavour for the Holy See in a region where relations have often been tumultuous, situated between Russia to the north and China to the south.
The history of Christianity in this region spans centuries, but the Catholic Church officially gained recognition in Mongolia only in 1992, following the country’s abandonment of its Soviet-aligned communist government and the enshrinement of religious freedom in its constitution.
Pope Francis extolled Mongolia’s legacy of religious tolerance, highlighting its existence even during the expansion of the formidable Mongol Empire, which, at its zenith, stretched as far west as Hungary. This vast empire remains the largest contiguous land empire in world history.
“The fact that the empire could embrace such distant and varied lands over the centuries bears witness to the remarkable ability of your ancestors to acknowledge the outstanding qualities of the peoples present in its immense territory and to put those qualities at the service of a common development,” Pope Francis remarked. He urged the world to appreciate and adopt this model of unity and collaboration.
However, Pope Francis also addressed the pervasive issue of corruption, subtly alluding to a recent scandal involving Mongolia’s trade with China and the alleged theft of 385,000 tons of coal. In December, widespread protests erupted in the capital against this scandal, even in freezing temperatures.
Pope Francis cautioned against the threat posed by today’s consumerist mindset, emphasizing the role of religions in countering “an individualistic mindset that cares little for others and for sound, established traditions.” He underlined that religions can serve as a shield against the “insidious threat of corruption,” which he described as a grave menace to the development of any human community.
Mongolia’s government has declared 2023 as an “anti-corruption year” and is implementing a comprehensive five-part plan based on recommendations from Transparency International, a leading global anti-graft watchdog. In its corruption perceptions index last year, Mongolia was ranked 116th.
Later in the day, Pope Francis was scheduled to meet with the priests and missionaries dedicated to Mongolia’s small Catholic community at the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in the capital. This encounter symbolizes the Vatican’s commitment to nurturing the faith and fostering goodwill in this emerging spiritual landscape.
