Pope Francis to visit Mongolia later this year

June 3 (UPI) -- Pope Francis will visit the remote nation of Mongolia later this year, the Vatican confirmed in a statement Saturday.

The pope is visiting at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. He will become the first leader of the Catholic Church to visit Mongolia.

Pope Francis is expected to make the Apostolic visit to the world's most sparsely populated sovereign country from Aug. 31 through Sept. 4.

"Accepting the invitation of the President of Mongolia and the ecclesial authorities of the country," Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni said in a statement

Mongolia has a population of 3.4 million people, of which approximately 1,300 are Catholics.

The world's youngest Cardinal, 48-year-old Giorgio Marengo, is an Italian who spent 20 years as a missionary in Mongolia. He serves as the first-ever and only cardinal in Mongolia.

Before the Mongolian visit, the pope will travel to Portugal for six days to mark World Youth Day.

Francis has had to miss recent events because of health issues.

The 86-year-old canceled two days of meetings in May because of a fever.

He also spent several days in the hospital in March because of a lung infection, using a wheelchair part time upon his release.