Pope Francis began the second day of his visit to Mongolia with a welcome ceremony in Ulaanbaatar’s Sükhbaatar Square. The Pope was welcomed by Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsukh and other government officials, the diplomatic corps, and the Mongolian people.

The ceremony began with a parade of troops and a guard of honour. The Pope greeted the troops and the guard of honour, then went to the square to greet the crowd. The Pope greeted the people in Mongolian and Spanish and gave a speech in which he thanked the Mongolian people for their welcome.

After the welcoming ceremony, the Pope met with President Khürelsukh at the State Palace. The meeting lasted about an hour and the two leaders exchanged ideas on issues of mutual interest, such as peace, justice, and environmental protection.

Pope Francis expressed his desire to strengthen relations between the Vatican and Mongolia and emphasized the potential for collaboration between the two nations in the fields of education, health, and culture. President Khürelsukh thanked the Pope for his visit to Mongolia and expressed his admiration for his work for peace and reconciliation.

Pope Francis’ visit to Mongolia is a historic event, marking the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the Vatican and Mongolia.

Video: Welcome ceremony – Visit to the President in the State Palace