Pope arrives on first visit to Mongolia as Vatican relations with Russia and China remain strained
almost 2 years in Denver Post
Pope Francis has arrived in Mongolia to encourage one of the world’s smallest and newest Catholic communities. It's the first time a pope has visited the landlocked Asian country and comes at a time when the Vatican’s relations with Mongolia's two powerful neighbors, Russia and China, are once again strained. Francis arrived in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on Friday morning after an overnight flight passing through Chinese airspace. That gave the pontiff a rare opportunity to send a note of greetings to President Xi Jinping. Following a welcoming ceremony, Francis planned to rest for the remainder of the day. His official program begins Saturday and lasts through Monday.