From 1 to 4 September, Pope Francis visited Mongolia, the very small, but growing Catholic community and met with other religious leaders in the country. María Lozano, press officer for ACN International, was in the Asian country to accompany the Pope’s visit, and brings you ten interesting details about the trip.

  • This is the first time a Pope visits Mongolia. It is Pope Francis’ 43rd Apostolic Trip, and Mongolia is the 61st country he has visited since he was elected.

 

  • Among others, the Pope flew over Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Turkey, Azerbaijan and China, en route to Mongolia.

 

  • When he arrived at the airport, Pope Francis was greeted with a cup of dry yoghurt, a traditional Mongolian form of showing hospitality to guests.

 

  • The Cathedral of Sts Peter and Paul, in Ulaanbaatar, is shaped like a nomadic tent, a symbol of the traditionally nomadic Mongolian people who, outside of the main cities, still tend to live in itinerant tents called “gers”.

 

  • The Catholic community in Mongolia is composed of less than 1,500 people. During his visit the Pope greeted representatives from the country’s 9 parishes.

 

  • In 2022 Mongolia was consecrated to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Cardinal Marengo, more specifically to the “Heavenly Mother”

 

  • The image of the Heavenly Mother that is venerated in the cathedral was found in a rubbish dump by a poor, non-Catholic lady, in a city north of Ulaanbaatar. She kept it at home for a while, where it was discovered by some religious sisters who visited her family to help address their needs.

 

  • When the Pope met with priests and missionaries in the cathedral, on Saturday, he was introduced to the lady who found the image of the Heavenly Mother, and who is now a Catholic.

 

  • Around 2,500 Catholics attended the mass on Sunday, 3 September. Pilgrims from Russia, China – including Macau and Hong Kong –, Thailand, South Korea, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan travelled to attend.

 

  • The interreligious meeting in the Hun Theatre, also on Sunday,3 September, was attended by representatives of 12 religious groups, including Mongolian Buddhist monks and shamans, Jews, Muslims and Evangelicals.