webfact Posted November 20, 2019 Share Posted November 20, 2019 Pope Francis arrives in Thailand at start of Asia trip Pope Francis arrives at a military air terminal in Bangkok, Thailand November 20, 2019. REUTERS/Remo Casilli BANGKOK (Reuters) - Pope Francis arrived in Thailand on Wednesday to meet with the country's small but devoted Catholic minority on a seven-day Asian trip that will include a family reunion in Bangkok and take his anti-nuclear message to Japan. The pope's plane touched down outside Bangkok around midday for a visit that coincides with the 350th anniversary of the first papal mission in Siam, the former name of Thailand. "Dear friends in Thailand and Japan, before we meet, let us pray together that these days may be rich in grace and joy," read a message on the pontiff's official Twitter account before he left the Vatican. Catholics are a tiny minority in mostly Buddhist Thailand, accounting for less than 2% of the population. Pope Francis will meet King Maha Vajiralongkorn, as well as the supreme Buddhist patriarch and Catholic leaders and students before he moves on to Japan on Saturday. His translator in Thailand will be his cousin and childhood friend, Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, 77, who has worked in Thai schools for more than 50 years. (Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) -- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-20 Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info Apologies, Thaivisa is not accepting comments on this article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webfact Posted November 20, 2019 Author Share Posted November 20, 2019 Pope Francis begins historic visit to Thailand By The Nation A plane carrying Pope Francis and his entourage touched down at Military Air Terminal 2 Wing 6 at Don Mueang Airport in north Bangkok about midday on Wednesday (November 20), commencing a visit coinciding with the 350th anniversary of the first papal mission to Siam. It is the first visit to Thailand by a leader of the Roman Catholic Church in 35 years. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak was at the airport to welcome the 82-year-old Argentinean pontiff, as was the pope’s cousin, Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, 77, a Salesian nun who has worked in Thai schools for more than half a century and will serve as his translator on the Thai trip. The Pope will meet Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and other officials at Government House at 9am on Thursday, followed by an audience with representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps. At 10am he will be taken to Wat Ratchabophit Sathit Maha Simaram to meet the Supreme Patriarch, Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatanana IX, head of the Buddhist faith in Thailand. At 5pm Pope Francis will have a private audience with Their Majesties the King and Queen and at 6pm preside at a public mass at Supachalasai National Stadium. Friday will see the Pope meeting separately with priests and seminarians at St Peter’s Church, then with the bishops of Thailand, and then with members of the Society of Jesus. A meeting with leaders of other Christian denominations at Chulalongkorn University and a mass with young people at Assumption Cathedral are set for the afternoon. The pontiff will depart via Don Mueang on Saturday at 9.30am and fly to Tokyo. In Japan he will also visit Nagasaki and Hiroshima and is expected to deliver a strong condemnation of nuclear weapons of the type that destroyed those cities at the end of World War II. Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30378549 -- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-11-20 Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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