Current:Home > StocksPope praises Mongolia’s tradition of religious freedom from times of Genghis Khan at start of visit -ClearPath Finance
Pope praises Mongolia’s tradition of religious freedom from times of Genghis Khan at start of visit
View
Date:2025-04-18 19:05:08
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Pope Francis on Saturday praised Mongolia’s tradition of religious freedom dating to the times of its founder, Genghis Khan, as he opened the first-ever papal visit to the Asian nation with a plea for peace and an end to the “insidious threat of corruption.”
Francis met with President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh inside a traditional Mongolian ger, or round yurt, set up inside the state palace, and wrote a message in the guest book that he was visiting Mongolia, “a country young and ancient, modern and rich of tradition,” as a pilgrim of peace.
“May the great clear sky, which embraces the Mongolian land, illuminate new paths of fraternity,” he wrote.
Francis is visiting Mongolia to minister to its young Catholic community of 1,450 and make a diplomatic foray into a region where the Holy See has long had troubled relations, with Russia to the north and China to the south.
While Christianity has been present in the region for hundreds of years, the Catholic Church has only had a sanctioned presence in Mongolia since 1992, after the country abandoned its Soviet-allied communist government and enshrined religious freedom in its constitution.
In his remarks, Francis praised Mongolia’s tradition of religious liberty, noting that such tolerance existed even during the period of the Mongol Empire’s vast expansion over much of the world. At its height, the empire stretched as far west as Hungary and remains the largest contiguous land empire in world history.
“The fact that the empire could embrace such distant and varied lands over the centuries bears witness to the remarkable ability of your ancestors to acknowledge the outstanding qualities of the peoples present in its immense territory and to put those qualities at the service of a common development,” Francis said. “This model should be valued and re-proposed in our own day.”
Francis, however, noted the need to combat corruption, an apparent reference to a scandal over Mongolia’s trade with China over the alleged theft of 385,000 tons of coal. In December, hundreds of people braved freezing cold temperatures in the capital to protest the scandal.
Francis warned about the threat represented by today’s consumerist spirit and said religions can help guard against an “individualistic mindset that cares little for others and for sound, established traditions.”
“At the same time, they also represent a safeguard against the insidious threat of corruption, which effectively represents a serious menace to the development of any human community; corruption is the fruit of a utilitarian and unscrupulous mentality that has impoverished whole countries,” he said. “It is a sign of a vision that fails to look up to the sky and flees the vast horizons of fraternity, becoming instead self-enclosed and concerned with its own interests alone.”
The Mongolian government has declared 2023 to be an “anti-corruption year” and says it is carrying out a five-part plan based on Transparency International, the global anti-graft watchdog that ranked Mongolia 116th last year in its corruption perceptions index.
Later Saturday, Francis was to meet with the priests and missionaries who tend to the country’s tiny Catholic community at the capital’s St. Peter and Paul Cathedral.
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
veryGood! (73526)
Related
- Meta releases AI model to enhance Metaverse experience
- NYC bans unusual practice of forcing tenants to pay real estate brokers hired by landlords
- Get $103 Worth of Tatcha Skincare for $43.98 + 70% Off Flash Deals on Elemis, Josie Maran & More
- Kate Hudson and Goldie Hawn’s SKIMS Holiday Pajamas Are Selling Out Fast—Here’s What’s Still Available
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- American arrested in death of another American at luxury hotel in Ireland
- Gisele Bündchen Makes First Major Appearance Since Pregnancy
- College Football Fix podcast addresses curious CFP rankings and previews Week 12
- NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
- Mega Millions winning numbers for November 12 drawing: Jackpot rises to $361 million
Ranking
- Bet365 ordered to refund $519K to customers who it paid less than they were entitled on sports bets
- Jason Kelce Jokes He Got “Mixed Reviews” From Kylie Kelce Over NSFW Commentary
- Martha Stewart playfully pushes Drew Barrymore away in touchy interview
- Jana Kramer’s Ex Mike Caussin Shares Resentment Over Her Child Support Payments
- Elon Musk’s Daughter Vivian Calls Him “Absolutely Pathetic” and a “Serial Adulterer”
- The Office's Kate Flannery Defends John Krasinski's Sexiest Man Alive Win
- LSU student arrested over threats to governor who wanted a tiger at college football games
- Stock market today: Asian shares meander, tracking Wall Street’s mixed finish as dollar surges
Recommendation
$73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
Alexandra Daddario Shares Candid Photo of Her Postpartum Body 6 Days After Giving Birth
Suspect in deadly 2023 Atlanta shooting is deemed not competent to stand trial
Prominent conservative lawyer Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount and same-sex marriage cases, dies
NHL in ASL returns, delivering American Sign Language analysis for Deaf community at Winter Classic
1 million migrants in the US rely on temporary protections that Trump could target
NFL coaches diversity report 2024: Gains at head coach, setbacks at offensive coordinator
McDonald's Version: New Bestie Bundle meals celebrate Swiftie friendship bracelets