The latest final results of the holiday remain open to speculation, as the pope’s calendar remains open to an imagined meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will be in Kazakhstan at the same time as the pontiff.
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“It will be an opportunity to meet with so many devout representatives and debate as brothers, animated by the non-unusual preference for peace, the peace of which our world is thirsty,” Francis said of the weekend trip.
During his trip, the pope hoped to meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who sought to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on non-secular and ideological grounds in a “metaphysical” war with the West. However, earlier this summer, Kirill withdrew from the interfaith meeting.
Xi is expected to land in Kazakhstan on Wednesday on his own diplomatic trip, raising questions about whether the two world leaders can meet.
Pope Francis said he remained open to an assembly with Chinese leaders but had no news or data on a face-to-face assembly imaginable.
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With the CCP’s arrests, intimidation, and legal restrictions cracking down even against the devout practices of apolitical Catholics, the Vatican and Beijing have slightly controlled an open dialogue.
Under Mao Zedong in the early 1950s, China severed diplomatic relations with the Vatican, razed churches and deported missionaries to its own Catholic association.
Under this supposed guild, the CCP retained the right to ordain bishops without Vatican approval, which the Church vehemently contested. Chinese bishops consecrated without papal approval are considered valid, but this results in prompt excommunication.
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The Catholic Church continues to walk a thin line in trying to regain the CCP’s authority without further endangering its members within China’s borders.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Timothy Nerozzi is editor of Fox News Digital. You can contact him on Twitter @timothynerozzi and email timothy. nerozzi@fox. com