Pope Francis wraps up longest overseas trip with call for interreligious dialogue

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Pope Francis concluded his longest overseas trip on Friday with a powerful call for interreligious dialogue. The 87-year-old pontiff delivered his message at an event in Singapore, the final stop of his four-nation tour of Asia.

“If you dialogue as young people, then you will be able to do so as citizens and as members of a community,” Pope Francis said.

He underscored that “all religions are paths to reach God,” likening them to “different languages, different dialects” that ultimately converge on the same divine truth.

During his visit, Pope Francis expressed gratitude to those who facilitated his journey and promised to pray for “the peoples of the other countries I have met during this Apostolic journey” on X as he returns to Rome.

This visit marks the second time a pope has traveled to Singapore, with the first being in 1986 under Pope John Paul II.

Over the past two weeks, Pope Francis also visited Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, marking his longest international trip since his papacy began in 2013.