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CNA Staff, Apr 24, 2025 / 08:00 am
Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88, traveled abroad on apostolic journeys nearly 50 times during his 12-year papacy. The octagenarian pope continued to travel even after being hampered for a time by the COVID-19 pandemic and battling failing health in the latter years of his life.
Francis’ 47 apostolic journeys brought him to 68 countries, Vatican News reported Monday — and those journeys included a number of papal firsts. His visits galvanized the often small Christian communities in the countries he visited and bore fruit in the form of ecumenical meetings and dialogue with non-Catholic leaders.
In March 2021, the then-84-year-old landed in Baghdad, Iraq, the first pope to visit the country. He also later became the first pope — and indeed the first Western leader — to visit South Sudan.
Check out the interactive map below to see a selection of some of Pope Francis’ most notable apostolic journeys.
Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. He is based in St. Louis.
