Pope Francis will visit Thailand and Japan on November 19-26 this 2019. He is the second Pope to visit these Asian countries after Saint Pope John Paul II.
The Holy See Press Office has confirmed that Pope Francis will be in Thailand from November 19 to 23 while he will be in Japan from November 23 to 26.
THAILAND
“Disciples of Christ, Missionary Disciples” will be the motto of the Apostolic Journey to Thailand, referring to the 350th anniversary of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam, which was established in 1669.
The event is represented by a logo wherein Pope Francis is seen with a boat that represents evangelization, three sails for Trinity, the hands that depicts our Lady’s and the golden cross that invites the whole Thai Catholic Church to be a witness to the Good News.
JAPAN
Meanwhile, the Pope’s visit to Japan will focus on the protection of life and Creation, and is quoted from a phase in “A prayer for our earth” at the end of the Pope’s Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, on caring for our common home. In that document, the Pope encourages us to respect the environment as we respect the dignity of each person.
This is particularly relevant in a country like Japan where nuclear threat, as we read in the description of the motto, "remains a persistent problem.” It is now also timely, after Japan suffered from Typhoon Hagibis.
The event will be represented by a logo that features three colored flames: a red flame recalling the martyrs and the foundation of the Church in Japan; a blue flame representing the Blessed Virgin Mary, who embraces all humanity as her children; and a green flame symbolizing both the nature of Japan and the mission to proclaim the Gospel of hope. Also, the logo has a red circle, as in Japan’s flag, but here symbolizing love as well as the sun as it embraces all life.
The Pope will visit Tokyo, Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
A detailed program of the visit will be announced later.