Pope Francis sent a telegram addressed to Xi-Jinping, president of the People’s Republic of China, in which he invoked “blessings of unity and peace” for the Asian country.
The Holy Father sent the telegram while flying over Chinese airspace towards Mongolia. “I send warm greetings to Your Excellency and the people of China as I fly over your country’s airspace en route to Mongolia. “I assure you of my prayers for the well-being of the nation and I invoke upon all of you the divine blessings of unity and peace,” states the telegram distributed on 31 August.
The Holy Father will be visiting Mongolia until September 4. Francis thus becomes the first Pontiff to tour this Asian country where more than 3 million inhabitants live, but of which only 1,500 are Catholic.
The country shares a border with China, a nation with which, according to Cardinal Pietro Parolín, Secretary of State of the Holy See, they have had “ difficulties and obstacles .”
Relations between the Vatican and China seem to be getting complicated despite the agreements that the Asian country has with the Holy See.
In 2018, the Holy See and the government of Beijing signed a provisional agreement in which the Vatican recognizes the bishops appointed by the communist authorities, which was renewed in October 2020 and will be in force until 2024.