A very small Catholic community welcomed the pontiff on his historic visit. Francis called for harmony between the religions – and also commented on the powerful neighboring state of China.
Pope Francis has ended his multi-day visit to Mongolia. The head of the Catholic Church left the East Asian country at noon today (local time) after an official farewell ceremony at Genghis Khan airport on a special plane operated by the Italian airline Ita towards Rome. The 86-year-old had previously opened a social center in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator and met employees of the church aid organization Caritas.
The Catholic community in the second largest landlocked country in the world has just 1,500 believers. Francis was the first pope to travel to the huge country between Russia and China, which has a good three million inhabitants. During his visit, he focused on strengthening the small Catholic community in Mongolia and promoting dialogue between religions.
In his speeches, the Pope also commented on the powerful neighboring state of China, which is repeatedly accused of curtailing religious freedoms and repressing minorities. Francis encouraged the Christians of Asia to advance in their faith.
The pontiff is expected in the Italian capital at around 5:20 p.m. before returning to the Vatican.
Source: Stern
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