The late Pope Francis served as the Lord had intended, focusing the Roman Catholic Church on the less developed regions of the world, thus spreading the faith wider. Christianity in Asia bloomed during his blessed tenure, particularly in South Korea, the Philippines, Japan and beyond.
Pope Francis, who had been pontiff since 13 March 2013, had a huge influence on the phenomenon leading to the unprecedented growth in numbers of followers of Jesus Christ.
Aside from the Philippines, Asia was a massive challenge in spreading the word of God, but the first Jesuit pope and the first from the Global South (Argentina) knew his role.
His emphasis on humility, social justice, interfaith dialogue and outreach to marginalized communities became the pillars of his being the representation of the Savior Jesus Christ.
While Christianity has had a long, sometimes difficult, history in Asia, its modern expansion has been remarkable. The faith has grown from a marginal presence to a significant force in several Asian nations.
The Philippines, Asia’s most Christianized nation, has been the bastion of the faith in the region with over 80 percent of its 110 million people identifying as Catholic, a legacy of the Spanish colonization from 1565 to 1898.
Official records show the country accounts for more Catholic baptisms annually than France, Spain, Italy and Poland combined.
The Catholic majority makes it a global heartland for the faith, with a projected population of 150 million by 2050, further amplifying the Christian influence.
South Korea’s transformation from a largely non-Christian nation in 1900, when less than one percent were Christian, to today where roughly 30 to 33 percent of the population, or some 17 million, are Christians is phenomenal.
The rapid growth, particularly in the 20th century, was fueled by the Total Evangelization Movement in the 1970s, which led to the establishment of 60,000 Protestant churches by 2017.
South Korea is now the world’s second-largest sender of missionaries, after the United States.
The faith is also finding a strong anchor in Japan. Although less than one percent of the population, or around one million people, identify as Christian, the religion’s influence is broad, particularly in education, social work, and literature.
The Pope’s namesake, Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier, introduced the faith in Japan in 1549. Despite periods of intense persecution, notably in the 17th century, a group of so-called “hidden Christians” (Kakure Kirishitan) preserved the faith.
Today, the Roman Catholic Church supports immigrant communities from countries like the Philippines and Brazil.
The challenge for missionaries whom Pope Francis had sent out to the world are countries that have traditionally resisted the divine presence: China, which has an estimated 70 to 100 million Christians, including underground churches; Vietnam, growing through underground charismatic movements; and Singapore, which is 18 percent Christian, with high rates of conversion from other faiths or no religion.
Asia now hosts over 295 million Christians, with significant minority populations in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.
Influenced by Pope Francis’s inclusive approach, the growth rate of the Catholic and Christian religion in Asia (around 1.17 percent annually) outpaces the global population growth rate.
This contrasts with declining Christian adherence in Western nations, making Asia the new epicenter for the faith.
The first head of the Catholic faith to be named Francis after St. Francis of Assisi has reshaped the Catholic Church’s image and priorities.
He prioritized regions like Asia, Africa and Latin America, where Christianity is growing fastest. His 2014 visit to South Korea, 2015 visit to the Philippines and 2019 visits to Japan and Thailand underscored Asia’s importance to the Church.
His visit to the Philippines after the devastation caused by Yolanda, the strongest typhoon to hit the planet, remains vivid to most Filipinos.
Against all odds, including the advice of the bishops who accompanied him, Pope Francis insisted on visiting ground zero of the calamity — Tacloban and Palo in Leyte.
In one remarkable moment, Pope Francis was heard arguing with his lieutenants, telling them he would not skip a meeting with the families that were victims of the typhoon and the Church contingent waiting for him.
One of Pope Francis’ legacies is making Asia a stronghold for believing in Jesus Christ.