Pope Francis, despite facing recent health challenges and now using a wheelchair, is embarking on the longest trip of his pontificate, a 12-day journey to four countries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Singapore, CNN reports.
This ambitious undertaking marks the furthest geographical distance (20,000 miles) Pope Francis has traveled since his election in 2013.
The Pope has consistently stressed the importance of interfaith dialogue in his previous visits to countries like South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. He has also appointed cardinals from the Philippines and South Korea to key positions within the Church.
While in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, Pope Francis will meet with religious leaders at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. He will also sign an interfaith declaration with the Grand Imam of Indonesia and visit the “tunnel of friendship,” connecting the mosque with the neighboring Catholic cathedral.
Pope Francis will also visit to Timor Leste, where the majority of the population is Catholic, the highest proportion outside of Vatican City State.
The trip’s timing, after more than 11 years as Pope, serves as a powerful message to those who might perceive his papacy as waning.
The trip’s focus on environmental protection will be particularly evident in his visit to Papua New Guinea, a nation on the front lines of the climate crisis. This will provide an opportunity for Pope Francis to reiterate his stance on the urgent need for global action to address climate change.
