Leo XIV received the president of Mongolia in audience. The Holy See and the Chinggis Khan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar plan to expand cooperation in archival research, joint studies, and conferences, the result of growing diplomatic ties boosted by Pope Francis's trip in 2023.

Rome (AsiaNews) – The Chinggis Khan National Museum in Ulaanbaatar and the Vatican Apostolic Library signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) during Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh’s state visit to the Holy See where he met Pope Leo XIV last Thursday.

The MoU inaugurates cooperation between the two institutions to promote cultural exchange, access to archives, and exchanges between scholars and experts with much of the documentary research centred on the history of the Mongol Empire, the parties announced.

The agreement is the result of growing diplomatic relations between Mongolia and the Holy See, which were officially established on 4 April 1992.

The visit to Rome by Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, in office since 25 June 2021, represents the first meeting at this level in 13 years. Over three decades, cooperation has expanded in the fields of culture, education, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance.

Pope Francis's visit to Mongolia in 2023 – a country with a small Christian community sandwiched between Russia and China, at the invitation of President Khürelsükh himself – was a historic event that further strengthened Mongolia’s ties with the Holy See, after eight centuries of contact and a significant missionary presence.

One of the earliest contacts was the letter Pope Innocent IV (1195-1254) wrote to Khan Güyüg in 1245, which was followed by the Great Khan’s response in 1246, which constitute valuable historical sources.

The Chinggis Khan National Museum opened its doors in 2022. It extends over six floors and houses 12,000 artefacts, making up the largest collection on Mongolian history, covering the Genghis Khan’s empire and its successors.

Before they were brought together in Ulaanbaatar, the items were primarily in Russia and the United States, or stored in state archives.

The Chinggis Khaan National Museum also aims to train specialists through copying and jointly studying documents and artefacts related to Mongolian history from around the world.

The Vatican Apostolic Library is one of the oldest and most valuable libraries in the world. It houses thousands of years of history: manuscripts, ancient books, archival materials, printed books, maps, coins, and medals.

It currently holds more than 1.6 million books and approximately 80,000 manuscripts, which constitute valuable sources in various domains, like religion, science, art, anthropology, and history.

The MoU covers four main areas, starting with exchange programmes for scholars and experts with an interest and focus on the history of the Mongol Empire, which at its height was the second largest in history.

The second and third areas cover sharing of knowledge and experiences related to manuscripts, books, and documentary heritage, as well as bibliography, library science, archives, and information technology systems and development.

Finally, the two parties plan to organise joint conferences and academic meetings and support joint research.

During his visit, President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh was also received by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See.

The Mongolian leader also paid his respects at the tomb of Pope Francis in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. He welcomed the Argentine pontiff upon his arrival in Mongolia, on the latter’s 43rd apostolic journey, from 31 August to 4 September 2023.

The visit represented an attempt to reach out to the Christian Far East, and thus to China, whose relationship with the Holy See remains complex.

During his stay in Mongolia, Francis sent his greetings to Chinese Catholics, a gesture with a high “geopolitical" charge, as reported by the writer Javier Cercas in his non-fiction novel titled “God’s fool at the end of the world” (2025).

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