Papal Journeys

Since the pontificate of Paul VI, each pope has travelled widely led by St John Paul II who visited 129 countries in his 27 year reign.

Pope Francis has continued in his predecessors’ footsteps, travelling to the four corners of the globe beginning with a trip to World Youth Day, 2013 in Brazil only four months after his election. During his travels, the pope has met Catholics on the peripheries of the global church in places like Myanmar and Iraq, Christians of all denominations, believers of other religions in Asia, Israel, and across the Muslim world.

Two ideals that lie at the heart of his travels are a deep desire for both encounter and tolerance. More than any modern pope, Francis has sought encounters with our Muslim brothers and sisters in Egypt, Turkey, Jordan and Azerbaijan to Bangladesh and the Gulf States.

Very often when Francis travels, Fr. Antonio Spadaro, director of La Civiltà Cattolica, has accompanied him and subsequently written an account of the trip. These “travelogues” offer an insight into Francis’ character, his belief in fraternity, peace, his love for humanity and his constant desire to connect with the world.