Pope Francis arrived in Kazakhstan Tuesday urging dialogue and peace in the face of Russia’s “senseless and tragic war” in Ukraine.
Newsroom (13/09/2022 7:30 PM Gaudium Press) — The Holy Father was warmly welcomed in Kazakhstan, and many happy faithful, non-Catholics, have been looking forward to the Pope’s visit. Even among young Muslims, who do not know much about him, some have been asking questions to know more about this figure of the Pope while saying he seems to be a person who cares about them.
As is customary, the Holy Father paid a courtesy visit to the president of Kazakhstan and addressed civil authorities and the diplomatic corps.
In a speech to Kazakh civil authorities and diplomats in the capital city of Nur-Sultan on Sept. 13, the Pope said he wanted to “echo the plea of all those who cry out for peace.”
“I have come here as a pilgrim of peace, seeking dialogue and unity. Our world urgently needs peace: it needs to recover harmony,” Pope Francis said from the stage of the Qazaq Concert Hall.
“Kazakhstan represents a significant geopolitical crossroads, and so it has a fundamental role to play in lessening cases of conflict,” he said.
The Pope recalled the country’s history under the Communist regime, with mass deportations and prison camps. Despite this, he stressed, “Kazakhs did not let themselves remain prisoners of these injustices: the memory of your seclusion led to a deep concern for inclusion.”
“May the memory of the sufferings and trials you endured,” he said, “be an indispensable part of your journey towards the future, inspiring you to give absolute priority to human dignity, the dignity of every man and woman, and of every ethnic, social, and religious group.”
The Pope also expressed gratitude for the country’s peace-making and environment-protecting efforts.
“I express deep appreciation for this country’s decisive repudiation of nuclear weapons and its efforts to develop energy and environmental policies centred on decreased dependence on carbon fuel and on investment in clean sources of energy…”
“I have come here as a pilgrim of peace, seeking dialogue and unity. Our world urgently needs peace: it needs to recover harmony,” Pope Francis said from the stage of the Qazaq Concert Hall.
“Kazakhstan represents a significant geopolitical crossroads, and so it has a fundamental role to play in lessening cases of conflict,” he said.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has loomed in the background of Pope Francis’ trip to the Central Asian country of Kazakhstan, a Muslim-majority country between Russia and China. Kazakhstan and Russia share a 4,750-mile border, and the former Soviet country has historically been regarded as Moscow’s greatest ally after Belarus.
China’s President Xi Jinping is also expected to meet the Kazakh president on Sept. 14 on the Chinese leader’s way to a meeting with Vladimir Putin in Central Asia later this week.
“Those who hold greater power in the world have greater responsibility with regard to others, especially those countries most prone to unrest and conflict,” Pope Francis said in his first public speech of the three-day visit to the Kazakh capital.
“Now is the time to stop intensifying rivalries and reinforcing opposing blocs. We need leaders who, on the international level, can enable peoples to grow in mutual understanding and dialogue … For this to happen, what is needed is understanding, patience, and dialogue with all. I repeat: with all,” Pope Francis said.
– Raju Hasmukh with files from CNA and Vatican News
