The second day of the historic visit to Mongolia by Pope Francis, the first Pontiff to visit the country began with a warm welcome ceremony at Sükhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar.
Sükhbaatar Square, the country’s main public space, bears this name as a tribute to Damdin Sükhbaatar, the military leader who declared Mongolia’s independence from China in 1921. A statue of him is located precisely in the center of the square. On the north side, in front of the Saaral Ordon or Government Palace, is a monument dedicated to Genghis Khan, Ögedei Khan, and Kublai Khan.
The Pope arrived at the site shortly after 9:00 a.m. on September 2 (local time) and was received by the President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, at the foot of the Government Palace.
The Pope then witnessed a colorful ceremony, in which riders on horseback paraded, recalling Mongolian traditions and the ancient empire that became the second largest in history.
After the welcome ceremony and protocol greetings, Pope Francis paid homage to Genghis Khan (considered the father of the country in Mongolia) together with Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, and both later entered the Government Palace.
Once inside the Government Palace, the Holy Father signed the Book of Honor, with the following message: “Pilgrim of peace in this young and ancient country, modern and rich in traditions, I am honored to travel the paths of encounter and friendship, generators of hope. May the great clear sky, which embraces the Mongolian land, illuminate new paths of brotherhood”.
He then met privately with the president, inside a ger, a traditional Asian nomadic home, with the image of Genghis Khan in the background.
The Holy Father gave the president of Mongolia as a gift a medal commemorating the papal trip, which shows details such as the Cathedral of Ulaanbaatar, dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the map of the country and its five traditional animals: a horse, a camel, a cow, a goat and a sheep.
In the medal, made by the artist Amalia Mistichelli, you can also see the morin khuur, a typical instrument of the country, also considered a symbol of peace, and the Erdene Zuu Khiid Monastery, the first permanent Buddhist monastery in the country.
As a second gift, the Holy Father gave Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh a facsimile of the Letter of the Great Khan Güyük to Pope Innocent IV, dating from 1246 and the original of which is preserved in the Vatican Archives.
Minutes later, in his message to the Mongolian authorities, Pope Francis stressed that the facsimile was made “with the most advanced techniques to guarantee the best possible quality”, and this gift seeks to be “a sign of ancient friendship that grows and is renewed”.