Pope arrives in Mongolia, the 'heart of Asia'

Pope arrives in Mongolia, the 'heart of Asia'

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (CNS) -- Greeted with "aaruul," a dried yogurt cheese, which he tried, Pope Francis arrived in Ulaanbaatar for a four-day visit. After the nine-hour, overnight flight from Rome, the pope's arrival Sept. 1 was low key. Battsetseg Batmunkh, Mongolia's foreign minister, met him at Chinggis Khaan International Airport and had a brief meeting with him in the airport VIP lounge. Afterward, the pope was driven into the city for a day of rest at the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Mongolia, the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar. During his flight from Rome, the pope, who had said he was going to the "heart of Asia," told reporters traveling with him that Mongolia is a vast country with a very small population and a great culture that needs to be understood more with the senses than with the intellect. He also suggested they listen to the music of 19th-century Russian composer Alexander Borodin, who wrote "In the Steppes of Central Asia."