Washington, 01 August, 2022 / 11:30 am (ACI Africa).
Plans are now set for Pope Francis to visit Kazakhstan in September for an interreligious meeting.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed the trip in a statement issued Monday.
“Accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesial authorities, Pope Francis will make the announced Apostolic Journey to Kazakhstan from 13-15 September this year, visiting the city of Nur-Sultan on the occasion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions,” the statement said.
Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced in April that a papal visit was possible. In his meeting with the media on his return flight from Canada Saturday, Pope Francis confirmed his intention to travel to the Central Asian country, saying, “That wouldn’t be too rigorous a journey.”
In recent months Kazakhstan has been discussed as a potential location for a meeting between Pope Francis and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who also was expected to participate in the congress.
