Pope Francis Meets Catholic President of Madagascar

Pope Francis traveled to Madagascar Sept. 6–8, 2019, as part of a larger trip that included the countries of Mozambique and Mauritius.

There are 22 Catholic dioceses in Madagascar, an island country about 250 miles off the coast of East Africa.

Christians, both Protestants and Catholics, make up the majority religion in Madagascar, at estimates between 40% and 80%. Islam and indigenous religions are also practiced. The country’s total population is approximately 25 million.

After his meeting with Pope Francis, Rajoelina spoke with Vatican diplomat and undersecretary for relations with states Monsignor Mirosław Stanisław Wachowski.

According to a brief statement from the Vatican, the conversation covered the war in Ukraine and its global consequences, crises affecting the continent of Africa, and the contributions of the Catholic Church to Malagasy society.

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The two also touched on the respectful bilateral relationship between the Holy See and Madagascar and the possibility of drafting a bilateral agreement.

Hannah Brockhaus is Catholic News Agency's senior Rome correspondent. She grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and has a degree in English from Truman State University in Missouri.