1970-01-01 02:00:00
The Pope began this Friday (1st) his first official visit to Mongolia. Francis will remain in the Central Asian country, with a Buddhist majority, until Monday (4). His trip brings support to the small local Catholic community and is strategically important in terms of improving the Vatican’s relations with neighboring Mongolian powers China and Russia.
After the plane Vatican land, the Papa went to the residence of the Italian bishop Giorgio Marengo, the youngest cardinal in the world, representing the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, in Mongolia.
There are just 1,400 worshipers in the country for a population of over three million people. The papal visit is crucial for the relations of the Vatican with China and Russia, which border Mongolia. The Holy See is believed to be making an effort to engage with Central Asia and not abandon the region to the mercy of these two powers.
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