As per tradition, the pope prepared for his trip to Thailand and Japan with a prayer before the patron of Rome, Salus Populi Romani.
He departs Tuesday evening, Rome time. His first stop will be in Thailand, a multi-ethnic nation where he will meet with Buddhist leaders. Pope Francis will encourage the people of Thailand to continue their work to promote harmony and a peaceful coexistence.
POPE FRANCIS
“I trust that my visit will help show the importance of interreligious dialogue, mutual understanding and fraternal cooperation.”
This can be summed up in one word: peace. It is a message he will also take to his second destination, Japan, where he will arrive on Saturday.
This is one of Pope Francis' most anticipated trips. Since he was young, he has wanted to retrace the steps of his fellow Jesuit, St. Francis Xavier, through Asia. His superiors advised against it, so he was never able to. Now he will go as the pope.
He will be the second pope to visit ground zero of the nuclear bombings in Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. In the explosions alone, the bombs killed 110,000 people. Pope Francis will ask for peace and complete nuclear disarmament.
POPE FRANCIS
“Together with you, I pray the destructive power of nuclear weapons will never be unleashed again in human history. Using nuclear weapons is immoral.”
Pope Francis will meet with the emperor in Tokyo and return to Rome on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Daniel Díaz Vizzi
Translation: Claudia Torres
