Pope Francis asked to pray for his next international apostolic trip that he will make to Kazakhstan from September 13 to 15.
“I ask everyone to accompany this pilgrimage of dialogue and peace with their prayers,” the Holy Father said.
The Pope explained that during his next three-day trip to Kazakhstan he will participate in a World Congress with leaders of other religions and affirmed that “it will be the occasion to meet numerous religious representatives and to dialogue as brothers, animated by the common desire for peace, the peace that our world thirsts for.”
“I would like from now on to cordially greet the participants, as well as the authorities, the Christian communities and the entire population of that vast country,” the Pope said.
Finally, the Holy Father thanked for “the preparations and the work done to prepare my visit.”
For his part, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Kazakhstan and bishop of the Diocese of the Holy Trinity in Almaty, Msgr. José Luis Mumbiela Sierra, said in a recent interview with ACI Prensa, that “people are very happy that come Pope Francis, we receive him with great joy”.
The Prelate pointed out that “the Pope’s visit is highly valued by all Christians because it means seeing the message of Christ proclaimed in a land with an Islamic majority.”
“In this world we live in, today in these wars and crises, sowing that vision of peace and unity among all would be excellent. That we Christians, Catholics, acquire that awareness of our mission precisely oriented in this direction”, the Bishop indicated then.
Pope Francis will be the second Pontiff to visit Kazakhstan, following Saint John Paul II’s historic trip in September 2001.