In March, the Vatican Press Office announced Pope Francis' next international trip. From April 28-30, he will visit Budapest, Hungary for his second visit to the country.
Pope Francis traveled to Hungary once before in 2021 to close the International Eucharistic Congress. But he was only in the country for about 7 hours. This time, he will spend a full three days there.
AMBASSADOR EDUARD HABSBURG
Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See
There's going to be very official encounters on the first day with the government, with head of state, with diplomats. But the second day is going to be a series of very personal encounters. You will have, you will have an encounter with a school for people with seeing problems. You will have an encounter with the imaginated (marginalized), the poor and the refugees.
Ambassador Habsburg says a trip to Hungary is important because both Hungary and the Holy See have been focusing on the same problems the world is currently facing, such as war.
AMBASSADOR EDUARD HABSBURG
Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See
Hungary and the Holy See are the only two countries in Europe that have strongly spoken up for peace in the in the Ukraine war.
And we spoke about Hungary, spoke about what we're doing for families, but also what we do to protect children in school from gender ideology.
The Ambassador believes one of the motivations for the Pope's visit is his love for the Hungarian people. He says Pope Francis is always happy to meet them and often uses a joke to show his affection.
AMBASSADOR EDUARD HABSBURG
Embassy of Hungary to the Holy See
When he meets a Hungarian politician or an ambassador, he will ask, Which language are going to speak in Heaven? And you will answer, I don't know. When he says Hungarian, but do you know why? And then you will say no. He says, because you need an eternity to learn it.
Ambassador Habsburg says because Pope Francis has visited the country so many times in recent years, the Hungarian people joke that he will now travel there each year and that he would be welcomed as both the head of the Catholic Church and a friend.
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