ROME — Pope Francis will travel to the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan this coming September to attend a conference of religious leaders, the Vatican announced Tuesday.
Pope Francis confirmed his official visit to the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan (former Astana) and participation in the Seventh World Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions during a video conference with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart, according to the official website of the president of Kazakhstan.
The congress of religious leaders is scheduled to be held September 14-15 in Nur-Sultan.
“I look forward to this important event from the point of promoting interreligious dialogue, and for the theme of unity to bring countries, which is much needed for the world today,” the pope stated.
“We see how diverse and united your country is. This is a basis for stability. We are happy that in Kazakhstan you understand this. You can count on my support, and I appreciate your efforts,” he reportedly said.
Last year, congress organizers were obliged to postpone the date of the event to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The last official visit to Kazakhstan by a head of the Roman Catholic Church took place 21 years ago, when Pope John Paul II visited Astana for three days beginning on September 22, 2001.
Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, achieving this milestone on December 16, 1991.
The papal trip took place shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and “served well to show the world the culture of tolerance and domestic accord within the Kazakh society,” the president’s website declares.
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