During his apostolic visit to Kazakhstan, Pope Francis will express his closeness to the Catholic community, which is a minority in the country, but remains steadfast in its faith.
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Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Kazakhstan is an attempt by him to promote peace in the world with the help of religious leaders, announced the Director of the Pontifical Press, Matteo Bruni.
Explaining at the press conference that Pope Francis will visit Kazakhstan from Tuesday, September 13 to Thursday, 15, as his 38th foreign apostolic visit, Bruni noted that the Pope’s apostolic visit aims to promote multi-religious dialogue and peace.
Bruni said that during this mission, the Pope will participate in the Seventh Conference of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, and will express his closeness to the Catholic community, which is a minority in the country and is firm in its faith.
Bruni has said that Pope Francis, who has visited 56 countries so far, will be visiting Kazakhstan in Central Asia for the 57th country. Pope John Paul II visited Kazakhstan a few days after the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in the United States of America.
Bruni said that Pope St. John Paul II called for a peaceful and harmonious life between Kazakhs, Russians, Ukrainians and other ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan, and between religions, following his footsteps, Pope Francis is also going to the country.
More than 70 international journalists are expected to accompany Pope Francis on his papal visit to Kazakhstan, and it is expected that the Pope, who will greet journalists on his flight to the country, will hold a regular press conference on his return trip, Bruni said.
Seventy percent of the total population of Kazakhstan belongs to the Sunni sect of Islam. And the majority of the country’s 26 percent Christians are Russian Orthodox.