Pope Francis, 87, has embarked on his longest and most ambitious tour since becoming the head of the Catholic Church 11 years ago. The tour will cover approximately 32,000km and include stops in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.
In Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, Catholics make up less than 3% of the population. However, the pope’s visit is aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue and religious harmony. During his trip, he will visit the Istiqlal mosque to meet with representatives of various religions and sign a joint declaration with the grand imam.
The theme of the declaration will focus on issues such as dehumanization, violence, conflict, and environmental degradation, particularly in relation to women and children. The pope has been a vocal advocate for combating climate change and its effects, including rising sea levels that threaten cities like Jakarta.
Security is tight for the visit, with over 4,000 law enforcement officers deployed to ensure the pope’s safety. Despite Indonesia’s official recognition of different faiths, there are concerns about growing discrimination against Christians. Local Catholics hope the pope will address these issues during his visit.
The trip, originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the Covid pandemic, comes as the pope faces health challenges. He has recently used a wheelchair and undergone surgery, but Vatican officials assure that no extra precautions are being taken for this tour. Pope Francis will also meet with outgoing President Joko Widodo, hold meetings with various groups, and preside over a mass in an 80,000-seat stadium.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com
