Pope Francis Visits Kazakhstan

Pope Francis recently visited Kazakhstan from September 13th to the 15th. The pope met with the president of the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, before participating in an “interfaith meeting” which gathered delegates from 50 countries representing faiths including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many branches of Christianty. Many consider Pope Francis’ visit to Kazakhstan to be a strategic move, given the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. As a former Soviet Republic, the nation is familiar with Russian rule, and as the war in Ukraine drags on, tensions and worries are only rising in Kazakhstan. In a statement, the pope called the Russian invasion of Ukraine a “senseless and tragic war,” condemning the actions of Russian president Vladmir Putin. In previous remarks on the war back in July, the pope made his stance on the conflict clear, saying, “We need to move away from strategies based on political, economic, and military power and toward a project for global peace.”

Calling for peace, the pope also applauded Kazakhstan for its commitment to diversity, religious and otherwise. Given the history of the country, along with its geographical location, it acts as a hub for ethnic, religious, and political diversity in an increasingly globalized world. Bordering two major world superpowers, China and Russia, Kazakhstan is subject to a wealth of intercultural ideas and knowledge. Particularly, the intersection of Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity has become a major cornerstone of Kazakhstani culture. This openness appeared as Tokayev personally received the pope and welcomed him into the nation, saying that it was a “great honor” to host the Pontiff.

However, the trip was not without its political drama. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, notably and abruptly backed out of the interreligious meeting a month prior. Also missing was Chinese President Xi Jinping. Xi had not planned to attend the interfaith meeting, but was visiting Kazakhstan on state business at the same time as Pope Francis. The pope stated his willingness to meet with Xi, but China stated that he would not have time to meet with the pope. Despite this, Pope Francis remains open to the possibility in the future, saying, “I’m always ready to go to China.” Such a move would create political ripples as, historically, there has never been a meeting between a pope and any Chinese president.

Pope Francis made the journey to Kazakhstan despite limited mobility. Strained ligaments in his right knee have caused the 85-year-old head of the Catholic Church to postpone other trips. Notably, the pope had hoped to appear in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. The pope also expressed his desire to travel to Moscow, but says he will “wait for the right time,” and is following doctors’ advice regarding his leg pain. According to the Catholic News Agency, the pope is eager to begin traveling again, especially on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic that halted his ability to travel outside of Italy. So far, the only other confirmed trip of 2022 will take place in February as a domestic visit to Florence.