The Vatican reminds North Korea that the Pope is willing to travel if invited
The Vatican reminded North Korea, whose latest missile launches have heightened tensions in Asia, on Friday that Pope Francis is eager to visit the nation to serve the cause of peace if Pyongyang extends an official invitation.
Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican's foreign minister, made the remarks at an event commemorating South Korea's national day.
"Pope Francis has a special passion and affection for the Korean people, and his desire to visit even locations in the North is vivid and widely known," Gallagher added.
This would be the first visit by a pope to the reclusive state, which does not allow priests to be stationed there permanently. Little is known about the number of Catholics in the country or how they practice their faith.
Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a devout Catholic, has pushed Francis to visit North Korea, arguing that a papal visit to Pyongyang would aid in the establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
When he met Pope Francis in 2018, Moon delivered to him a verbal invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Gallagher's remarks were important because they occurred three days after North Korea launched an intermediate-range missile over Japan, provoking joint missile drills between South Korea and the United States.
North Korea also launched two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, aimed at Japan, following the return of a US aircraft carrier and a U.N. peacekeeping mission to the region. In response to the North's recent launches, the Security Council convened.
North Korea tested ballistic missiles for the sixth time in 12 days, the latest demonstration of its more sophisticated missile and nuclear weapon capabilities.
Gallagher again reminded his audience of the Vatican's commitment for a nuclear-weapons-free world.
Pope Francis visited South Korea in 2014, and Vatican officials have stated that any papal travel to North Korea would include stops in the South to demonstrate his support for reunification of the peninsula.
#Vatican #Pope #PopeFrancis #NorthKorea
SOURCE: yahoo
What do you think of this blog? Write down at the COMMENT section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment