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Singapore in talks with Vatican for anticipated Pope Francis visit in September
Singapore is in talks with the Vatican for Pope Francis’s September visit. Last papal visit was by late Pope John Paul II in 1986.
SINGAPORE: Singapore is currently engaged in discussions with the Vatican regarding a proposed visit by Pope Francis, anticipated to occur in September.
According to a spokesman from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore welcomes the potential visit by Pope Francis, as stated on Tuesday (2 April) in response to inquiries from The Straits Times.
The announcement of Pope Francis’s planned visit was made by Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the de facto Vatican foreign minister, during an interview with America magazine on 26 March.
The initial reports of an Asia-Pacific tour surfaced in January through two Catholic media outlets – America and EWTN Vatican.
The latter, in an article outlining the Pope’s agenda for 2024, mentioned ongoing plans for a 10-day visit to Indonesia, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea.
Originally scheduled for August, the tour will mark only the second papal visit to Singapore.
If his health permits, Pope Francis, who is 87 years old, is expected to spend at least a day in Singapore.
The possibility of a visit to Vietnam is also being considered, as reported by America magazine.
In January 2022, Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth Edwin Tong was granted a brief audience with Pope Francis during a working visit to Vatican City.
His visit aimed to reaffirm bilateral ties with the city-state and took place a month after the Roman Catholic Church celebrated its 200th anniversary in Singapore.
On 31 March, Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas confirmed Pope Francis’s visit to Indonesia on 3 September.
The invitation was reportedly extended by outgoing Indonesian President Joko Widodo in June 2022, with the aim of fostering religious tolerance within the nation.
Nevertheless, concerns about the Pope’s health have cast uncertainty over his Asia-Pacific travel plans.
On 29 March, he abruptly withdrew from the Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum, citing a need to preserve his health before Easter obligations, according to the Vatican.
Despite this, he presided over the Easter Vigil service on 30 March and delivered his Urbi et Orbi message on Easter Sunday, 31 March, from the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
Singapore’s Roman Catholic population is approximately 395,000 according to the 2020 census.
The last papal visit to Singapore occurred nearly four decades ago, when the late Pope John Paul II attracted thousands of Roman Catholics during a brief stopover in 1986.
During Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1986, traditional gestures such as kneeling and kissing the tarmac were observed upon his arrival at Changi Airport.
Then Singapore Archbishop Gregory Yong, Vatican Ambassador to Singapore Archbishop Renato Martino, and Communications Minister Yeo Ning Hong were among those who welcomed him.
The visit also included meetings with then President Wee Kim Wee and Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, as well as presiding over a mass attended by about 70,000 people at the former National Stadium.
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Nahbehz PAp so desperate until involving pope to visit so can look like good government before election izit?
Playing at the heart strings now.
So would the white monkeys start selling bibles at $60 to promote this possible visit by the pope? We know that everything they do must have a financial gain for themselves, hor.
Taylor Swift then now The Pope?
We welcone the President of Vatican .
From a doctrinal viewpoint, I am not too sure Catholics are too thrilled about the Pope’s visit. The Pope’s issuance of the Vatican document called Fiducia Supplicans which allows priests to bless gay couples under some circumstances if the blessings weren’t confused with the ritual of marriage caused a sensation within the Church. Most of the objection had come from African Bishops and if we were to watch these African Bishops on YouTube, the opposition and anger is very palpable. I am not advocating for the Pope nor those who oppose the Fiducia Supplicans document. But this highlights what opponents… Read more »
Which Events or Event GENERATES more EXCITEMENT, more MEANING, FOR JOY, and More LASTING VALUES for Singaporeans NOW ROOTED and Gonna Be ROOTED for more (goat years), together STUCK with their Children and Grand children :-
1. More Jobs Create by PAP for locals NO NEED generate jobs for Foreign Trash, they can go elsewhere.
2. REALLY NON POLITICAL affordable flats, rental or sale,
3. Timely WD of CPF
4. NO More FOC WORTH 100$ of Millions Uni places for UNDESERVING NON NS Trash,
OR 10 more Taylor Swift concerts.
OR the Pope STAY in SG for a month
????
Lord Shanmugam vs The Pope.
How got any Ustaz or not in The Coming Contest. Hahaha.
Sorry, just had rub it in. Hahaha.
Trying all means to fan the flame ,even using religion as a advantage for their coming election.
Using INFLUENCER to spread INFLUENZA isn’t going to be enough for Lau Lan Wong and his team this time, once the common folks know of the years of betrayal of the trust the voters had given them…it will be all or nothing for the PAP in 2025!😆😆😆😆
Finally some good news.
Pope Francis asked Zelensky to put up the the white flag in the interest of the Ukrainians. Many do not understand that it is stronger to wave the white flag than to remain in war. Neither do many understand that in losing you have actually won.
The clown Edwin was there in January 2022 at Vatican City maybe to discuss an exclusive visit deal to Singapore. He failed.
VTO. VTO.
Hope he pay a visit to Gaza and Jerusalem. GB
Look beyond these events (viz Miss Swift) – they are emotional in nature somewhat, to raise Sheeps feel good, EPHEMERAL, divert focus from more solid issues of high costs of living runaway flat and home PRICES, jobs loosing out to FAKE TALENTS, which the PAP admonished NOT a zero sum game (which is to say DO NOT EXPECT PAP to create JOBS ONLY for SGpns) – to boost the PAP electable chances.
Don’t be fraud by these cunning Millionaire bastards.
Still have
Beyonce , Katie Perry , Rihana
Dalai Lama
Has this regime and it’s tourism board secured another eye~pope-ing SEAsian exclusive, I wonder !!!