Pope Francis arrives in Singapore for final stop of Asia tour
Pope Francis arrived in Singapore on 11 September, completing his Asia tour. He received a warm welcome from both dignitaries and the public. His visit will feature meetings with leaders, a mass at the National Stadium, and interreligious engagements with local youths.
SINGAPORE: Pope Francis arrived in Singapore on Wednesday (11 Sept) at around 2:50 pm, marking the final stop of his Asia tour after visiting Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste. This visit is significant as it is the first by a pontiff since 1986, when Pope John Paul II made a brief stopover. Upon his arrival, the Pope was greeted by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong and his wife, as well as Singapore’s non-resident ambassador to the Vatican, Janet Ang, and her husband. Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, led by Archbishop William Goh, were also present. The welcoming event featured a performance by children in traditional attire, celebrating Singapore's diverse ethnic heritage. Around 1,000 Catholics gathered along Jurassic Mile to await the Pope’s arrival, cheering and waving both Vatican and Singaporean flags as he passed by in a buggy. The crowd enthusiastically chanted, "Viva, viva, Papa Francesco," meaning "Long live, long live, Pope Francis." After the procession, the Pope headed to the St. Francis Xavier Retreat Centre in Punggol for a meeting with the Jesuits.
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During his visit, Pope Francis is scheduled for several official and community engagements. On Thursday (12 Sept), he will attend a welcome ceremony at Parliament House and have an orchid hybrid named in his honour. He will then meet President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, before delivering a state address at the National University of Singapore’s University Cultural Centre to members of the government and civil society. Later on Thursday evening, Pope Francis will lead a mass at the National Stadium, which is expected to draw 50,000 attendees. The mass will involve a large choir of 1,600 members, alongside numerous volunteers, including medics, nurses, and crowd control officers. The Pope will conclude his Singapore visit on Friday (13 Sept) with a stop at St Theresa’s Home to meet elderly residents, followed by an interreligious dialogue with youths at Catholic Junior College.
