“Next week will begin the translation into Chinese, here at the audience,” Pope Francis announced with visible joy, at the general audience on November 27, 2024. The first translation into Chinese will therefore take place on December 4, the beginning of the liturgical year and first Sunday of Advent.
Every Wednesday, the Pontiff meditates on a biblical text during the general audience, an event open to the public. The audience takes place either in St. Peter's Square or in the Paul VI Hall inside the Vatican.
Before he speaks, a short extract from the Bible is read out in several languages. After his catechesis, a summary of his speech and the translation of his messages addressed to the faithful in a specific language are also translated.
These translations, carried out by Vatican employees, are currently available in six languages in addition to the official Italian: French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, and Arabic.
Arabic is the latest language to be permanently added by Benedict XVI on October 10, 2012.
Occasionally, languages may be added in response to a special occasion, such as the presence of a group of pilgrims speaking another language - Ukrainian and Slovakian translations were heard recently.
On August 9, Pope Francis gave a filmed interview to a representative of the Jesuit Province of China, which was posted on YouTube with Chinese subtitles. The pontiff, has repeatedly expressed his wish to get closer to Catholics in China.
In addition to China, Mandarin is the official language of several other countries: Taiwan and Singapore (where the Pope visited last September).
Mandarin is also spoken by around 10% of the population in Malaysia, Brunei, and Thailand.
