What did Pope Francis think about Singapore after his recent three-day visit here?

During a press conference that took place on the papal plane on Sep. 13 (Sep. 14 Singapore time), the Holy See tackled various questions from journalists, which covered the U.S. presidential election, clerical sex abuse, Vatican-China dialogue, and the war in Gaza.

He also answered some questions about what he thought about his recent trip to Singapore.

Observations on Singapore

The 87-year-old head of the Vatican responded to several questions from The Straits Times, which asked about his observations on Singapore's culture, its people and his message about fair wages for migrant workers.

He had this to say:

"They call it the “New York of the East,” a developed, clean country with polite people, tall skyscrapers, and a great religious culture. The interreligious meeting I had was a model of fraternity.

Regarding migrants, I saw luxurious skyscrapers, and then others that, while not as grand, were still clean and well-maintained, which I appreciated. I didn’t feel there was discrimination. I was struck by the culture, particularly with the students. For example, the last day I was struck by that culture."

Speaking about Singapore's role on the international stage, Pope Francis highlighted the upcoming Formula 1 race and praised Singapore for being able to attract different cultures.

A capital that attracts different cultures is a "great capital", he said.

When asked if there was anything he learnt about this trip to Singapore, he said there's "always something to learn" from every person and country.

He added:

"For example, in Timor-Leste, I saw many children, but in Singapore, not so many. Perhaps that’s something to learn… The future lies with children; consider this."

Finally, he added: "Ah, one other thing: you residents of Singapore are very friendly— always smiling!"

Thoughts on the death penalty

He also responded to another question from a journalist from Germany's ARD, who asked about the death penalty in Singapore.

The journalist asked: "Holy Father, during this trip, you spoke very openly about the problems in each country, not just the beauties. For this reason, we were wondering why you haven’t addressed the issue that Singapore still has the death penalty?"

The Pope responded that it "didn't come to mind".

He also stated his position that the death penalty "doesn't work" and needs to be eliminated.

"Many countries have the law but do not carry out the sentence. The United States is the same... But the death penalty must be stopped. It’s not right; it’s not right."

The full transcript of the press conference can be found here.

Top photo via Vatican Media.