In this Friday, Oct. 18, 2019, photo, Catholic worshippers lay flowers at the base of a Mother Mary statue at the Christ Church in Songkhon village, Mukdahan province, northeastern of Thailand. There are about 388,000 Catholics in Thailand, representing 0.58 percent of the country's 69 million population.
BANGKOK — Pope Francis arrives in Thailand on Wednesday for the first visit here by the head of the Roman Catholic Church since St. John Paul II in 1984. Some things to know about the visit and the history of the church in Thailand:Francis is certain to address some of the major social concerns he often highlights, but his visit is largely a morale-boosting exercise for the Catholic community.
The Rev. Bernardo Cervellera, editor-in-chief of the evangelical news service Asia News, said the pope may also express concerns about materialism, one of his frequent topics, and discuss with his Buddhist counterparts the related issue of secularization.Francis will meet King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who was crown prince when he greeted St. John Paul II on the only previous papal visit to Thailand in 1984.
His private meetings include an audience with 40 sick and disabled people at Bangkok’s St. Louis Hospital, as well as a meeting with Jesuits working in Thailand. Pope Francis is the first pope from the Jesuit order and makes a point of such meetings during his travels.
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