Image Credits: Indiplomacy
Pope Francis arrived in Singapore on Wednesday afternoon, concluding the Southeast Asia leg of his 12-day tour, the longest of his papacy. The visit, which follows stops in East Timor, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, focuses on inter-faith dialogue and the Catholic Church’s role in the region, where Catholics are a minority.
During his two-night stay in the city-state, Francis will deliver a speech to political leaders, potentially addressing issues such as wealth inequality and climate change. Singapore, a global financial hub with a population of 5.92 million, is predominantly Buddhist (31%), with about 210,000 Catholics. The Vatican is expected to have approximately 55,000 attendees at a Mass celebrated by the Pope, including many from Hong Kong.
Inter-faith dialogue remains a cornerstone of Francis’ papacy. In Singapore, he will engage with young people from various religious backgrounds, continuing his efforts to foster mutual understanding and cooperation among different faith communities. Singapore’s government has invested significantly in combating the effects of climate change, particularly rising sea levels, with a planned expenditure of S$100 billion (approximately $77 billion) over the century.
Pope Francis will also hold private meetings with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He is only the second pope to visit Singapore, following John Paul II’s brief layover in 1986.
On his arrival, Francis was greeted by Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and received flowers from local children. About 1,000 local Catholics gathered outside the airport to welcome him. The Pope’s schedule for the remainder of Wednesday includes a private meeting with Jesuit priests. His public engagements, including the Mass and meetings with political figures, are planned for Thursday before his return to Rome on Friday.