Live Updates: Pope Francis trip to Mongolia 2023
Cardinal Giorgio Marengo was one of the first to welcome Pope Francis to Mongolia on Sept. 1, 2023. Marengo is an Italian cardinal who has served as a missionary in Mongolia for nearly 20 years. He is the current apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and the world’s youngest cardinal. / Credit: Vatican Media Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Sep 3, 2023 / 05:10 am (CNA).
Pope Francis will be visiting Mongolia from Aug. 31–Sept. 4. Mongolia is one of the world’s largest landlocked nations, sandwiched between its much larger and more powerful neighbors, China and Russia. It has one of the smallest Christian communities in the world with 1,450 Catholics.
Follow along here for live updates:
Sept. 4, 2023
Pope Francis revealed the existence of a joint China-Vatican commission on the appointment of bishops during an in-flight press conference on Monday — giving the clearest explanation to date as to what could be in the secret Vatican-China deal.
Speaking during his 10-hour return flight from Mongolia on Sept. 4, the pope said that there is a joint commission between the Chinese government and the Holy See on the appointment of Catholic bishops in China presided over by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
During the in-flight press conference, Pope Francis also outlined his vision for the upcoming synodal assembly in October, which he said should be a prayerful exercise in dialogue free from ideology, not full of “political chatter” like a television talk show.
Addressing charity workers in Mongolia on Monday, Pope Francis said doing good requires loving others and seeking the best for them without expecting anything in return.
“To truly do good, goodness of heart is essential: a commitment to seeking what is best for others. Commitment for the sake of remuneration is not true love; only love can overcome selfishness and keep this world going,” he said at the inauguration of the House of Mercy.
📹HIGHLIGHTS | Pope Francis inaugurated the House of Mercy in Ulaanbaatar on his final stop in his four-day trip to Mongolia. His flight to Rome will last over 11 hours. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/sqHFbQNilN
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) September 4, 2023
Sept. 3, 2023
Catholics from across Asia traveled to Mongolia to attend the country’s first-ever papal Mass with Pope Francis on Sunday.
🎥 VIDEO | Pope Francis explains how to save our lives: “this is surely the best way: to embrace the cross of Christ.” He further states that: “only love satisfies our hearts’ thirst, only love heals our wounds, only love brings us true joy.” pic.twitter.com/jSARMSuMKn
— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) September 3, 2023
📹HIGHLIGHTS | Catholics from Asia traveled to Mongolia to attend the country’s first-ever papal Mass. Earlier, Pope Francis met Mongolian Buddhists, Shamans, and Shintoists at an interreligious event in Ulaanbaatar. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/JpZhQpUuv8
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) September 3, 2023
While papal Masses on the pope’s other international trips can draw hundreds of thousands of people, the Mass in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar only had an estimated 2,000 in attendance — presenting a rare opportunity to personally meet the pope for attendees.
Prayers offered in Chinese at Pope Francis’ Mass in Mongolia today
The pope shared a special message for Chinese Catholics at the end of Mass, saying he wanted to “send a warm greeting to the noble Chinese people.” #PopeinMongolia pic.twitter.com/Wqw15E7zhK
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 3, 2023
“For people in Asia … we do not have a lot of opportunities to meet the pope personally, so for many of us, for most of us, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it is like a dream come true for many, many Asians,” Hee Jung Choi from Seoul told CNA. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/jyKipK5caD
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 3, 2023
In a meeting with Mongolian Buddhists, Shamans, Shintoists, and other religious representatives, Pope Francis said Sunday that interreligious dialogue is “not antithetical to proclamation,” but helps religious traditions to understand each other.
Pope Francis being escorted into the Hun Theatre by Gambi Demberel Choijamts, head of the Centre of Mongolian Buddhists, for his interreligious meeting with representatives of various faiths. pic.twitter.com/lzrrGzenXr
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) September 3, 2023
Sept. 2, 2023
Pope Francis met Tsetsege, the woman who found a Virgin Mary statue in a garbage pile. The Holy Father blessed the statue and is now venerated in Ulaanbaatar’s Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul.
📹VIDEO | Pope Francis met Tsetsege, the woman who found a small Virgin Mary statue in a garbage pile. #PopeInMongolia blessed the statue now venerated in Ulaanbaatar’s Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul under the title of “Heavenly Mother.” pic.twitter.com/JZ6u6CMyjE
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) September 2, 2023
📹HIGHLIGHTS | Pope Francis met authorities in Mongolia’s State Palace on his second day in Ulaanbaatar. He also met priests and missionaries at the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, and blessed a statue of Our Lady, known as Heavenly Mother, discovered in a landfill… pic.twitter.com/5QOfdXKowF
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) September 2, 2023
📹VIDEO | Pope Francis affirmed that governments “have nothing to fear from the Church’s work of evangelization, for she has no political agenda.” #PopeInMongolia #Catholic pic.twitter.com/QK1Y1SeKCs
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) September 2, 2023
While the Catholic population in Mongolia is one of the smallest in the world, “being little is not a problem,” Pope Francis assured the local missionaries, because God can accomplish great things with small numbers.
“God loves littleness, and through it he loves to accomplish great things, as Mary herself bears witness,” Pope Francis said in Ulaanbaatar’s Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul on Sept. 2.
Pope Francis arrives inside the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
🎥: Courtney Mares/EWTN pic.twitter.com/huuuwQQhKN
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 2, 2023
14-year-old Amar (left) and his Catholic family traveled more than 200 kilometers from their home in Mongolia to see the pope today. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/K5m14xsh5G
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 2, 2023
Cardinal-elect Stephen Chow, the bishop of Hong Kong, explains why Pope Francis’ visit to Mongolia is so meaningful to Asian Catholics on the “peripheries.” #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/wDCftuqPOt
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 2, 2023
Pope Francis called Mongolia a “symbol of religious freedom” in his first speech in Mongolia and underlined how its democratic government is in a unique position to play “an important role on behalf of world peace.”
Traditional Mongolian dancers perform to welcome Pope Francis at the presidential palace. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/rXddC4jf8n
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) September 2, 2023
Pope Francis arrives to the official welcome ceremony at Mongolia’s Sukhbaatar Square. #PopeInMongolia
📸 Vatican Media pic.twitter.com/zWwglvma3v— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) September 2, 2023
People began to gather in Mongolia’s Sukhbaatar Square for Pope Francis’ official welcome ceremony.
Good morning from Mongolia’s Sukhbaatar Square!
We are awaiting the pope’s arrival at the official welcome ceremony.
The Mongolian Honor Guard is standing watch in front of the State Palace, where Pope Francis will be meeting the president and prime minister. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/ZkjpZlYCMB
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 2, 2023
Tuvshin, 38, a Christian from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is waiting to see the pope. He said that Mongolia is in “a tough neighborhood between Russia and China.”
“So I think he [Pope Francis] has much bigger reasons to make this pilgrimage to Mongolia.” #PopeinMongolia pic.twitter.com/PP8gJfYUIK
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 2, 2023
Sept. 1, 2023
Pope Francis received an enthusiastic welcome to Mongolia after a nearly 10-hour flight on the papal plane. Here are some pictures from his first day in the country.
Two little girls proudly show off their rosaries given to them by Pope Francis.
After dancing for Pope Francis outside the place where he will stay while in Mongolia, these two girls were so proud to show off the rosary beads given to them by the Pope. They couldn’t stop smiling. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/rdjcNN4laA
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) September 1, 2023
A look at Mongolian culture at a traditional “Besreg Naadam” festival.
A taste of Mongolian culture at a traditional “Besreg Naadam” festival. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/QmGmEIRSk6
— Courtney Mares (@catholicourtney) September 1, 2023
Pope Francis made history Friday morning when he became the first pope to travel to Mongolia, the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country.
Read the full article here:
📹VIDEO | Pope Francis arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was welcomed by a young woman who offered him a cup of traditional Mongolian dried curds. He is the first pope to visit this vast landlocked nation, sandwiched between China and Russia. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/6KkWq6Z1FA
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) September 1, 2023
Aug. 31, 2023
Pope Francis sent a telegram to China President Xi Jinping and the people of China as the papal plane entered Chinese airspace on its way to Mongolia.
Read the full article here:
📹VIDEO | Pope Francis is heading to Mongolia to meet with one of the smallest Catholic communities in the world that consists of only 2 native priests, 8 parishes, a challenging geography, social problems, but a lot of hope. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/5MXZXrVXKN
— EWTN News (@EWTNews) August 31, 2023
Lovely to receive a public sms announcement from the Mongolian phone company as the Pope lands in the country. Sent to all phones on the network. #PopeInMongolia pic.twitter.com/zKsgCH7RRv
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) September 1, 2023
Aug. 30, 2023
As is customary before any papal trip, Pope Francis spent time in prayer before the icon of the Salus Populi Romani at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
This evening, as is customary before any papal trip, Pope Francis spent time in prayer before the icon of the Salus Populi Romani at the Basilica of St. Mary Major where he entrusted her with his upcoming Apostolic Journey to Mongolia.
Credit: Vatican Media pic.twitter.com/l52bBr7nsl— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) August 30, 2023
