Pope Francis arrives in Hungary for 3-day visit | ABS-CBN

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Pope Francis arrives in Hungary for 3-day visit

Pope Francis arrives in Hungary for 3-day visit

Deutsche Welle

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Pope Francis greets faithful during his traditional Wednesday general audience in St. Peter Square, in Vatican City, April 5, 2023. EPA-EFE/Stringer
Pope Francis greets faithful during his traditional Wednesday general audience in St. Peter Square, in Vatican City, April 5, 2023. EPA-EFE/Stringer

Pope Francis landed in the Hungarian capital of Budapest on Friday morning, where he is due to meet nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban during his 3-day visit.

The visit is expected to include discussions of the conflict in Ukraine. The pope is also set to discuss migration issues — some of these directly related to the war for Hungary, which has a comparatively short border with Ukraine — as well as Hungary's tense relations with the European Union.

This is Pope Francis's first trip since he was hospitalized for bronchitis in March. On Sunday, he is scheduled to lead an open-air mass outside of parliament.

Ahead of the pope's visit, Orban said on Twitter he looked forward to the pope's visit and their Friday appointment.

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"In troubled times like ours, it is essential to remember what keeps us together, and faith is the foundation upon which we can build a stable future," the Hungarian prime minister said.

What is the pope's schedule?

Pope Francis also has scheduled meetings with Hungarian President Katalin Novak on Friday. He will then deliver his main political speech to diplomats and other Hungarian authorities.

The pope is also planning to meet some 35,000 Ukrainian refugees who are based in Ukraine. Around 2.5 million Ukrainians had crossed into Hungary shortly after Russia's invasion last year. Although the pope tends to be less explicitly political in public than more typical national leaders, Francis has often spoken out on migration and called for a more compassionate approach.

Orban is known for leading anti-migration notions within Europe. Francis has also previously commended Hungary's welcome of Ukrainian refugees.

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