Pope Francis will visit Myanmar in November, according to Church sources. The Vatican has made no announcement about the prospect of a trip to the Asian country. But the country’s President Htin Kyaw has issued an invitation to the Pontiff. The Catholic bishops invited Pope Francis before the 500th anniversary of Catholicism in Myanmar in late 2014. Some improvements have occurred such as diplomatic relations between Myanmar and Vatican plus the appointment of an apostolic nuncio since then. The surprise announcement seems to be in place of a hoped-for trip to India. The Vatican has not been able to make arrangements with the Indian government.
According to information shared with top clergy only two weeks ago, the pope is expected to first visit the capital Naypyidaw where he will meet President Htin Kyaw and the country’s de-facto leader, State Counsellor and Foreign Affairs Minister Aung San Suu Kyi. It is expected that he will hold at least two Masses before heading to the country’s largest city and business capital Yangon for a large open air Mass. It is also expected that he will visit and say Mass at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Major Seminary in Yangon.
