2-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) Speculation is rife about Pope Francis’s forthcoming visit to Singapore as part of his Asia tour later this year, as reported by Catholic publications. However, the Church in Singapore has not yet confirmed this anticipated visit.
Archbishop Paul R Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, disclosed to America magazine that the Pope’s itinerary would include Singapore, Indonesia, Timor Leste, and Papua New Guinea, with the trip scheduled for September.
In a Mar 26 article by America magazine, which is affiliated with the Jesuits in the United States, Archbishop Gallagher hinted that Vietnam could also be included in the list of destinations.
Earlier this year, both EWTN Vatican and Radio Veritas Asia had reported that Pope Francis is likely to visit Singapore in August.
Responding to queries from CNA, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore stated on Tuesday (Apr 2) that while they are aware of the “unconfirmed reports,” they have not received official confirmation regarding the Pope’s visit to Singapore at this time.
The last papal visit to Singapore dates back to 1986, when John Paul II made a brief stop as part of his Asia-Pacific tour, which included Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia. Thousands of worshippers attended a papal mass at the National Stadium on Nov 20, 1986.
Pope Francis, aged 87, has undertaken over 40 international trips since his election by cardinals in 2013. His inaugural official visit to Asia was in 2014 when he visited South Korea.
The Vatican has announced his forthcoming visit to Belgium later this year, and there has been speculation about a potential visit to his native Argentina, as mentioned by the Pope himself.
