Pope Francis receives warm welcome as he arrives in S'pore

Pontiff will meet President Tharman, PM Wong before papal mass today

- Samuel Devaraj and Shermaine Ang

Pope Francis, the head of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, arrived in Singapore for a three-day state visit on Sept 11, the final stop of his tour of Asia.

An hour before the Pope was scheduled to arrive from TimorLeste's capital of Dili, some 1,000 Roman Catholics had made their way to Jurassic Mile at Changi Airport to welcome him.

Dressed in the yellow and white of the Vatican flag and carrying mini Singapore flags, many sang hymns as they waited in the sun for his arrival. More than 30 banners also lined the path, bearing welcome messages from the Catholic parishes here.

Upon touching down at 2.50pm, Pope Francis was welcomed at the airport by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong and his wife; and Singapore's non-resident ambassador to the Vatican Janet Ang and her husband.

His arrival in Singapore marked the first visit by a pontiff to the Republic since 1986, when the late Pope John Paul II made a five-hour stopover.