Pope Francis calls on President Tharman, meets PM Wong after ceremonial welcome

The visiting Pope Francis began his second day in Singapore with a ceremonial welcome held at Parliament House.

- Tham Yuen-C and Wong Pei Ting

A spell of rain at night had given way to clear skies and sunshine, and some people lined North Bridge Road to catch a glimpse of him.

The Pope waved at them through the windows of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 - a made-in-Singapore electric car - that he was being driven in as he arrived at his destination.

The ceremony was an indoor affair, held at the entrance hall of the home of Singapore's Parliament.

A ramp was added for the 87year-old Argentinian, who first started using a wheelchair in public in 2022 due to knee problems.

Ceremonial guards standing at attention saluted him as he sat alongside President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the landing of the sweeping granite staircases that lead to the chamber.

Between them, placed on a low table, was a large pot of white orchids named in the pontiff's honour.

Described by the National Parks Board as a new hybrid exuding "a serene and pure beauty", the Dendrobium His Holiness Pope Francis has flowers about 8cm wide, with sepals and petals that are ivory white, and a lip with the barest tinge of pink.

Signing the visitor's book, the pontiff wrote in Italian a message that translates to: "Like the star that guided the Magi, so let the light of wisdom always guide Singapore in building a united society capable of conveying hope."