ASTANA – The passing of the head of the Catholic church, Pope Francis, has prompted some of the most heartfelt condolences around the world from believers and non-believers alike. In an interview with The Astana Times, Archbishop Tomasz Bernard Peta, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Saint Mary in Astana, reflects on the legacy of Pope Francis for Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
The passing of the head of the Catholic church, Pope Francis. Photo credit: CNN
Archbishop Peta recalled the Pope’s visit to Kazakhstan in 2022, highlighting his lasting contribution to the Catholic church in the country and the wider Central Asian community.
“Pope Francis has become particularly close to the peoples of Central Asia through his visits to Kazakhstan in 2022 and Mongolia in 2023,” said Archbishop Peta.
“We all remember the holy service with the Pope in Astana at Expo-2017, attended by more than 10,000 people, his meeting with clergy, monastics and representatives of the faithful in the Cathedral, where the Pope consecrated the ‘Mother of the Great Steppe’ icon. The meetings of Pope Francis with the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and his search for roads of peace during the Congress of World and Traditional Religions were impressive,” he said.
Pope Francis and the Archbishop during Holy Mass at EXPO area in Astana, during the Pope’s state visit to Kazakhstan in 2022. Photo credit: Catholic Information Service of Central Asia
The excitement was palpable among the people when the head of the Catholic church drove through the Expo territory to conduct a holy mass. In his speech, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of working towards peace every day.
“Peace, as well as the coexistence of various ethnic groups and religious traditions, integral development and social justice cannot be acquired once and for all; it must be acquired every day. A universal effort is needed so that Kazakhstan can develop even more in brotherhood, dialogue and understanding to build bridges of solidarity cooperation with other peoples, nations and cultures,” said the Pope.
During his visit, Pope Francis also praised Kazakhstan for creating a unique place that fostered dialogue between people, describing it as a “country of encounter.”
“There are almost 150 ethnic groups and more than 80 languages in the country. These are peoples with different histories, cultural and religious traditions, which together they form an incredible symphony and make Kazakhstan a multiethnic, multicultural and multi-confessional unique laboratory, pointing to its special vocation – to be a country of encounter,” said the pontiff.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with Pope Francis. Photo credit: akorda.kz
Pope Francis’s deep sense of humility earned him support and appreciation beyond the Catholic church. According to Peta, his papacy was defined by compassion for the poor and those in need.
“The role of every Pope, as head of the Catholic church, since the time of the first Pope, Peter the Apostle, has always been to ‘strengthen the brethren in the faith’ and to witness to the whole world about Jesus as God and the only Savior of all mankind,” said Archbishop Peta.
“I think that from Pope Francis we can learn modesty as well as sensitivity to the poor. The Pope, by his words and example, drew the attention of the Church and the world to the needs of the poorest, defended the lives of unborn children, and tirelessly tried to build peace among nations,” he added.
Condolences
In his message of condolences, President Tokayev described Pope Francis as an “extraordinary spiritual leader who spared no effort in promoting the noble ideals of humanism, justice and compassion.”
“I warmly recall my meetings with Pope and his historic apostolic visit to Kazakhstan in 2022, which stood as a powerful symbol of tolerance and mutual understanding. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a great pastor of peace and tireless advocate for interfaith dialogue and harmony,” Tokayev wrote in a post on X.
The passing of Pope Francis was the reason why Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has postponed her visit to Kazakhstan, scheduled for April 26-27. She shared her condolences on X, saying she was privileged to have known his friendship and guidance.
“He asked the world, once again, for the courage of a change to walk a road that ‘does not destroy, but cultivates, repairs, guards.’ We will walk in this direction, to seek the path of peace, pursue the common good and build a more just and equitable society,” wrote Meloni.
