Ulaanbaatar (AFP) – With a tiny Catholic population of just 1,400, Mongolia has welcomed Pope Francis as the 86-year-old pays the first papal visit to the isolated Central Asian country. “We waited for this moment for many years” says one of those gathered in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. While hugely significant to members of one of the Catholic church’s youngest communities, the Pope’s visit is also aimed at fostering a connection between the Vatican and Mongolia’s neighbours China and Russia.
