Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia, begins Asian-Oceanian tour

This photo shows Pope Francis greeted by children as he arrives in Jakarta Tuesday Sept 3 2024 Yonhap — This photo shows Pope Francis greeted by children as he arrives in Jakarta Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Yonhap

SEOUL, Sept. 4 (AJP) - Pope Francis landed in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, marking the start of his multi-country pastoral visit to Asia and Oceania. The pontiff arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 11:19 a.m., choosing to travel in a modest hybrid Toyota Innova Zenix instead of a luxury bulletproof sedan offered by the Indonesian government.

Upon arrival, the Pope met with refugees, migrants, and patients at the Papal Nunciature, including Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. This unscheduled meeting underscores the Pope's focus on marginalized communities. Indonesian President Joko Widodo welcomed the visit, highlighting shared goals of promoting peace and fraternity.

Francis is the third pope to visit Indonesia, following Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989. His visit's theme is "Faith, Fraternity, Compassion." The Pope's itinerary includes a meeting with President Widodo to discuss the Gaza conflict, and a tour of the "Tunnel of Friendship" connecting Southeast Asia's largest mosque and Jakarta Cathedral.

The visit will culminate in an open-air Mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, expected to draw 80,000 faithful. Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, is home to over 8 million Catholics. Following his stay in Indonesia, Pope Francis will continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore until Sept. 13.

AJU PRESS

Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia, begins Asian-Oceanian tour

Related