Former President of Mongolia Reflects on Meeting Popes Benedict XVI & Francis | EWTN News Nightly

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Pope Francis has made it to Mongolia. The East Asian nation is the world's most sparsely populated sovereign country and has a long history, including religion. The country's former president says religious freedom and respect for human life are fundamental values in Mongolia. President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj led the nation for 8 years, from 2009-2017. Earlier this year, we spoke with him about freedom of worship and his impressions of the current and former popes. "Throughout our history, Mongols were very respectful of religious beliefs," he said. Elbegdorj explained that during the Mongolian empire, all those who worked in church temples were exempt from military service and from paying taxes to show respect to those religious people. In October 2011, Elbegdorj met with Pope Benedict XVI during a visit to the Vatican. "Our meeting was very warm," he recalled. "I recall that was really one of the best meetings I had and we talked about our history, also including the religious history, and the pope was actually very much interested." He shared that Benedict XVI's "humanity and his love of humanity and his passion to serve in the best interest of humanity" will be the late pope's lasting legacy. The former prime minister and president also met Pope Francis during a meeting with the International Commission Against Death Penalty, of which Elbegdorj is the commissioner. ------------ EWTN News Nightly provides the latest news and analysis from a Catholic perspective. Join host Tracy Sabol, our Capitol Hill, White House and Rome Correspondents, as well as many other diverse guests daily, to get the latest from the U.S. and the Vatican on topics regarding our Catholic faith and interests. ------------- EWTN News Nightly airs on EWTN weekdays at 6pm & 9pm ET. ------------ Don't miss an episode of EWTN New Nightly. Get updates here: https://www.ewtn.com/tv/shows/ewtn-news-nightly ------------- Sign up today to receive the EWTN News Nightly newsletter: https://www.ewtn.com/enn ------------- Follow EWTN News Nightly on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ewtnnewsnightly Twitter: https://twitter.com/EWTNNewsNightly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ewtnnewsnightly/ ------------- Subscribe to EWTN YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/EWTN ------------- You can support the EWTN News mission: https://bit.ly/3qDR1qf