Emphasized that the Church does not harbor any political agenda. This visit marked the first papal visit to Mongolia, a nation with approximately 1,450 Catholics.
Addressing bishops, priests, and pastoral workers, the Pope highlighted that Jesus did not provide his apostles with a political mandate. Instead, he instructed them to alleviate the sufferings of a “wounded humanity” through faith. This message seemed to carry a subtle reference to Beijing.
Pope Francis reassured that governments and secular institutions have nothing to fear from the Church’s evangelization efforts. He stressed that the Church is not driven by political motives but is fueled by the gentle strength of God’s grace and a message of mercy and truth, intended to promote the well-being of all.
Reports indicate that Chinese Catholics flocked to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, to catch a glimpse of the Pope. Upon his arrival on Friday, Beijing expressed its hopes to “strengthen mutual trust” with the Vatican, following a greeting message from the Pope to President Xi Jinping.
During the official welcoming ceremony, Mongolia’s President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh received the 86-year-old Pope, with a procession of Mongolian horsemen adorned in metal armor parading past the State Palace. Pope Francis commended Mongolia for its longstanding tradition of religious freedom, dating back to the era of its founder, Genghis Khan.
