Pope Francis will fulfill his dream to be a missionary in Japan when he arrives for a three-day visit with two main aims: to appeal for nuclear disarmament and minister to a tiny Catholic flock with a rich but bloody history.
In this image from a video, Pope Francis waves to the crowd before leaving for Japan from the Military Air Terminal of Don Muang Airport, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Bangkok, Thailand.
The community he will find has changed dramatically in recent years with an influx of foreign workers. Today, these temporary workers make up more than half of Japan’s Catholic population of 440,000, according to the Archdiocese of Tokyo’s international center. Francis will also greet descendants of the “Hidden Christians,” who persevered in their faith for generations despite the threat of death and absence of priests.
In Japan, Francis instead will head to Nagasaki and Hiroshima first thing Sunday, visiting the sites of the atomic bombings. It doesn’t appear an accident of the itinerary. But Francis’ key aim is to tend to his tiny flock, which has grown exponentially more diverse in recent years.
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