On Program of State Visit of Pope Francis to Kazakhstan

Nur-Sultan, 2 August 2022 – As it was previously announced, Pope Francis will pay a state visit to Kazakhstan from September 13 to 15, 2022.

The program of the visit’s first day features a meeting with the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as well as a formal speech addressing the diplomatic corps accredited in the country and the civil society.

On the second day of the visit, the head of the Roman Catholic Church is expected to participate in the opening and plenary session of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions and to hold several meetings with other religious leaders.

On September 14, Pope Francis will also conduct a Holy Mess for thousands of Roman Catholics, including pilgrims who are expected to visit the Kazakh capital on this occasion.

On the visit’s final day, he plans to attend the closing ceremony of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions with the adoption of its final declaration, and to meet with clergymen, nuns and seminarians of the Roman Catholic Church from Kazakhstan and neighboring countries.

The previous visit to Kazakhstan by a Pontiff, namely, Pope John Paul II took place between September 22 and 25, 2001. Pope Francis is the first head of the Roman Catholic Church to confirm his participation in the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which is traditionally held every three years in the capital city of Kazakhstan.