Pope Francis has set off on the longest and most demanding journey of his papacy, covering nearly 33,000 kilometers (20,500 miles) to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore. This 11-day tour marks a significant endeavor for the 87-year-old pontiff, who has been contending with several health challenges.
Throughout the trip, Pope Francis is expected to focus on environmental issues and the importance of interfaith dialogue, particularly in Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population. His visit to Indonesia is particularly noteworthy, as he will become only the third pope to visit the country. He is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on Tuesday, where he will visit the capital’s main mosque and meet with outgoing President Joko Widodo. A mass for around 70,000 people is also planned.
Francis’s journey retraces parts of St. John Paul II’s 1989 tour of the same nations. The Pope’s visit to Timor-Leste, a predominantly Catholic country, will include a mass in Dili, where he will stand on the same esplanade where John Paul II addressed local Catholics during Indonesia’s occupation of the territory. However, the anticipation for his visit has been marred by recent news that hundreds of homes in Dili were demolished ahead of his arrival.
In Papua New Guinea, Francis will visit the impoverished city of Vanimo, where he will meet with missionaries from Argentina who have been working with tribal communities. Despite the logistical challenges, many people are traveling long distances, some on foot, to see the Pope.
The final stop of the tour is Singapore, a country with a significant Chinese population, where the Pope’s visit is seen as an effort to improve relations with China. Despite ongoing tensions over the appointment of bishops, the Vatican and China reached an agreement in 2018, giving the Vatican some influence over the process.
Throughout his journey, Pope Francis will be accompanied by medical staff due to concerns about his health, particularly his respiratory and mobility issues. Last year, he had to cancel a trip to Dubai due to a lung inflammation, further highlighting the challenges of this ambitious tour.
