ULAANBAATAR – Standing in a country that borders both Russia and China, Pope Francis on Saturday praised what he called Mongolia’s foreign policy of peace and prayed aloud that the “dark clouds of war” will be dispelled.
Although the pontiff did not specifically mention Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, given the context the reference seemed clear.
Speaking to national civil authorities in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, the Pope complimented Mongolia’s efforts in forging a broad network of diplomatic relations and its active membership in the United Nations, as well as its efforts “to promote human rights and peace.”
These efforts have a significant role both within Asia and on the international scene, the Holy Father said, lauding Mongolia’s commitment to end nuclear proliferation and its decision to end capital punishment in 2015, with the law formally taking effect in July 2016.
“Mongolia is a democratic nation that pursues a peaceful foreign policy, but also proposes to play an important role on behalf of world peace,” he added.
Although Mongolia’s geographic proximity to China and Russia make those two superpowers its most important relationships, the country has also pursued what’s known as a “third neighbour” policy, establishing close ties with other nations including the United States.
Noting that this year marks 860 years since the birth of Genghis Khan, who formed the world’s largest empire after uniting all Mongol tribes, Pope Francis praised the Mongols’ ability “to acknowledge the outstanding qualities of the peoples present in its immense territory and to put those qualities at the service of a common development.”
“This model should be valued and re-proposed in our own day,” he said, asking that God would “grant that today, on this earth devastated by countless conflicts, there be a renewal, respectful of international laws, of the conditions of what was once the Pax Mongolica, that is, the absence of conflicts.”
He quoted a Mongolian proverb which states that, “The clouds pass away, but the sky remains,” noting that Mongolians traditionally assign spiritual significance to the sky. “May the dark clouds of war be dispelled, swept away by the firm desire for a universal fraternity wherein tensions are resolved through encounter and dialogue, and the fundamental rights of all people are guaranteed!”
Pope Francis also asked that in Mongolia, “so rich in history and open to the sky, let us implore this gift from on high, and together let us strive to build a future of peace.”
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.