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Pope Francis touches down in Bangkok

Warm welcome at Don Mueang Airport for the first visit by a pope to the kingdom since 1984
Pope Francis touches down in Bangkok

Pope Francis arrives at Military Air Terminal 2 at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok on Nov. 20 for the first leg of an Asian tour that will take in Japan and carry a message of interfaith dialogue and nuclear disarmament. (Photo: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP)

Published: November 20, 2019 06:59 AM GMT
Updated: November 20, 2019 07:02 AM GMT

Pope Francis arrived in Thailand today for the first visit to the kingdom by a pope for 35 years.

He was greeted by senior members of Thailand’s Catholic community and his cousin Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, 77, who has worked in Thai schools for more than 50 years.

The pope's plane touched down at Military Air Terminal 2 at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport around midday for a visit that coincides with the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam Mission, the first Catholic jurisdiction in what was to become Thailand.

"Dear friends in Thailand and Japan, before we meet, let us pray together that these days may be rich in grace and joy," read a message on the pontiff's official Twitter account before he left the Vatican.

The pope will meet with Thailand’s small Catholic minority on a seven-day Asian trip on which he will take his anti-nuclear message to Japan.

As is customary, one Vatican employee was chosen to accompany the pope on his apostolic journey. The honor for this trip was given to Antonino Enea, a calligrapher at the Secretariat of State.

Before departing from Rome, Pope Francis met briefly with a group of 10 elderly people assisted by the Little Sisters of the Poor at the Church of St. Peter in Chains.

Pope Francis is greeted by his cousin Sister Ana Rosa Sivori at Don Mueang Airport. (Photo: AFP)

Busy schedule

Pope Francis will meet King Maha Vajiralongkorn, Buddhism’s Supreme Patriarch and Catholic leaders and students in Thailand before he moves on to Japan on Nov. 23.

A representative of the Royal Council of Thailand and six representatives of the Thai government met the pope on his arrival in Bangkok, together with members of the Thai Bishops’ Conference. Also greeting him were 11 children representing the dioceses of Thailand.

The pope’s motorcade then left immediately for the apostolic nunciature, where he is expected to rest before the first full day of his visit begins tomorrow.

The pope’s first appointment tomorrow is at Government House, where an official welcome ceremony will take place. He will meet privately with Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha before addressing authorities, members of civil society and the diplomatic corps.

Then he will visit the Supreme Patriarch, Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong, at Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram.

Before lunch, Pope Francis will meet medical staff and a group of patients at St. Louis Hospital in Bangkok. This hospital was founded by Catholics in 1898. In the afternoon, the pope will pay a private visit to King Vajiralongkorn at the Royal Palace.

His first full day of events will conclude with the celebration of a Mass with young people at Bangkok's National Stadium.

Pope Francis follows in the footsteps of Pope St. John Paul II, who visited Thailand in May 1984.

Thailand has 11 dioceses and some 389,000 Catholics. Although Catholics make up less than one percent of the population, the Church runs hundreds of schools and dozens of hospitals, clinics, homes for the elderly and orphanages. Women religious are actively involved in combating human trafficking, especially trafficking for prostitution.

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