Starting Thursday, Pope Francis will be making a historic 5-day visit to South Korea, marking his first to Asia only 17 months after he was elected leader of the Catholic community.

The choice to land in Korea is unexpected, yet timely for the new papacy in order to face the challenges of bringing Catholicism to the continent that comprises more than half of the world's population, yet only 20% of whom are baptized. 

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South Korea is unique to the Catholic world because they did not wait for foreign missionaries to come to their shores.

The first French missionaries did not arrive until 1836. But in 1784, Yi Seung-hun took the name Peter when he was baptized in China, and returned home to inspire other Koreans to convert to Catholicism.

The religion was branded as "evil" for its opposition to some Confucian practices such as ancestor worship, and Catholics continued to face persecution throughout the centuries.

However, Catholics now make up 11% of modern day South Koreans - a sharp rise from 2% in just 4 decades - and they are among the Buddhist country's most educated and political elite.

The Pope hopes to mirror this rate of conversion and baptism in other Asian nations where tensions with Hindu and Muslim majorities are still high.

In Seoul, South Korea, Pope Francis will visit Solmoe Shrine in Dangjin, to pay homage to Korean martyrs who died for their faith.

He will be greeting hundreds of young Catholics from 23 different Asian countries to celebrate a Catholic Youth Festival.

This number is significantly lower than the thousands who gathered for his first visit to Rio de Janeiro in July 2013 for World Youth Day. However, the timing and location of this visit allows him the chance to spread his message of peace throughout Korea and across the troubled Asian region.

Other Asian visits planned for the Pope will be Sri Lanka in January and then to the Philippines, Asia's only Catholic nation.  A possible trip to Japan is also rumored.

TagsPope Francis, Catholic Youth Festival, South Korea pope visit, Catholics in Asia