Pope Francis has arrived in Papua New Guinea (for 3-day visit) as the country’s legislative assembly attempted to pass a bill declaring Papua New Guinea a christian state.
Both sides of the house voted for the constitutional amendment (declaration of PNG as Christian) law 2023, but fell short of the absolute two-third majority of 79, with 73 voting for and 7 against.
The 87-year-old pontiff, originally from Buenos Aires, is on a 12-day tour of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore in part aimed at spurring global action on climate change.
Pope Francis is visiting Vanimo partly due to the presence of Argentinian missionary group the Institute of the Incarnate Word, which has a presence in the Vanimo diocese.
Father Agustin Prado, one of the missionaries, said the relationship between Vanimo and the Vatican began after his brother, Father Martin, led a group of parishioners to Rome in 2019.
They had an audience with the Pope, and kept in touch through Vatican officials, sharing photos and videos of the missionaries’ work there.
Vatican officials have told the missionaries Francis is keen to meet privately in their residence, where he will be offered “mate”, a popular caffeinated drink in Argentina used in social occasions, Prado said.
“For us it’s a big blessing. We are working, in a material way, preparing everything, but especially in a spiritual way, to be ready to meet him,” he said.
Pope Francis, a former nightclub bouncer in the Argentine capital before joining the priesthood, has previously been spotted drinking “mate” offered by well-wishers on several occasions.
Vanimo is a simple town, with two supermarkets, two gas stations and a hospital, Prado said.
