Chileans will be a tough crowd for Pope Francis

WHEN a visit by Pope Francis to Chile was announced last June, the country’s devout Catholics no doubt hoped it would help bring lapsed ones back to the fold. But as Chileans await his arrival on January 15th for a three-day visit, followed by two days in Peru, the preparations have highlighted the increasing irrelevance of the Catholic church to many Chileans. Half of Chileans regard the visit as of little importance and a large majority disapprove of the government contributing 7bn pesos ($11m) towards security and logistics. “The money should be spent on the poor, above all on health,” fumes Sonia Meza, an evangelical who works as a maid, from La Florida, a suburb of Santiago.

The lack of enthusiasm contrasts with the ecstatic reception of John Paul II in 1987, during the 17-year dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Then, more than three-quarters of Chileans were Catholic. The church was respected for its staunch defence of human rights and the visit was used to rally opposition to Pinochet. A hymn written by locals for the occasion, “Messenger of life, pilgrim of peace”, followed John Paul wherever he went.