Pope Francis will visit Madagascar in 2019, the country’s cardinal announced at a Vatican press briefing on Tuesday.
“We [the bishops’ conference] went to the Pope to ask him to come and visit us in Madagascar, and we are happy to let you know that he will come to us in 2019,” the Cardinal Archbishop of Toamasina, Désiré Tsarahazana, told reporters attending the daily youth synod press conference.
“This is an encouragement for everyone, especially for young people.”
The Madagascan prelate was created a cardinal by the Pope on June 28 who then named him as one of four presidents-delegate at this month's synod, giving him responsibility in guiding the work of the synod and leading its meetings.
Holy See spokesman Greg Burke said he could not confirm the Madagascar visit, or when it would take place, but added that preparations were “well under way”. While the bishops want Francis to visit, for a papal visit to take place, the head of state in the country must extend an invitation.
The cardinal said that young people in his country face “extreme poverty” and are met with “unemployment” after studying. He added: “There is discouragement because of the corruption which poisons our country.”
A papal trip to Madagascar could be part of an Africa visit that includes some other countries. The President of Mozambique announced last month in the Vatican that the Pope will visit his country in 2019.
Madagascar, situated off the south-east coast of Africa, is the fourth largest island in the world of with a surface of 587,000 square kilometres and has nearly 25 million inhabitants. The former French colony is on the front line when it comes to feeling the effects of climate change, an issue that the Pope has placed high up his agenda with his encyclical “Laudato si’ ”. Madagascar is known for its rich biodiversity, with an exceptionally large number of unique, rare and endangered species.
The last papal visit to Madagascar was by John Paul II in 1989, while the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, visited in 2017 to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the island nation.
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