Bangkok (AFP)
At Praharuthai convent in Bangkok, the pace of sewing machines accelerates: less than ten days before the arrival of Pope Francis in Thailand, the sisters put the finishing touches to the two chasubles he will wear to celebrate masses.
In a small room of the convent, adorned with portraits of Francis and the former Pope John Paul II, a dozen seamstresses work tirelessly to assemble colorful silk fabrics craft, under the watchful eye of Sister Sukanya who oversees the making.
"I am happy that our convent was chosen to do this very honorable job," she told AFP.
Pope Francis, who will celebrate two Masses in the capital, will wear two dresses, one red and the other yellow, each adorned with a complex pattern of Thai inspiration, the "Kanok", sewn with gold thread on Breast.
The convent was also responsible for making more than 200 other chasubles for the cardinals and archbishops who will attend the ceremonies.
"It's not about money, we're very proud, the pope is in the hearts of all Catholics like the Thai king in the heart of all the people of this country," says Sister Saengpradab.
The 82-year-old Argentine pontiff will be received in Thailand from 20 to 23 November, and will visit Japan from 23 to 26 November.
The visit of a pope to these two countries, mainly Buddhist, remains exceptional: John Paul II visited Japan in 1981 and Thailand in 1984.
During his stay in Thailand, which this year celebrates 350 years of the first Catholic mission established by Pope Clement IX, Francis will be received by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha.
He will remain in Bangkok and will not meet the approximately 388,000 Christians in the country, who are mostly in the north, including some ethnic minorities such as Jarai and Akha. Other Christian ethnic groups fled religious persecution, including communist Vietnam, and found refuge in the kingdom.
Pope Francis' trip to Japan is highly symbolic since it will take him to Hiroshima and Nagasaki where, in August 1945, atomic bombs killed 140,000 and 74,000, respectively.
© 2019 AFP