Pope Francis Begins Historic Visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Singapore
Pope Francis arrived in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Tuesday, marking the start of his marathon 12-day visit to four countries, including Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Singapore. The 87-year-old pontiff landed at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang after a 13-hour flight. He was welcomed with a bouquet of local produce by two children in traditional attire.
This visit is the Pope’s 45th Apostolic Journey abroad and the longest of his pontificate. On Wednesday, he is scheduled to meet Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo and the country’s political leaders. On Thursday, he will participate in an interreligious meeting at Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, and sign an interfaith declaration with the grand imam of Indonesia. He is also expected to visit the ‘tunnel of friendship,’ an underpass linking the mosque and the Catholic cathedral next door.
President Jokowi described the visit as ‘very historic’ and noted that it had been planned long ago but was delayed by the pandemic. He emphasized the shared commitment between Indonesia and the Vatican to peace, brotherhood, and prosperity.
This landmark visit allows Pope Francis to highlight key themes of his pontificate, including inter-religious dialogue and environmental protection. It also underscores a significant shift within the Catholic Church towards Asia. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has about 280 million inhabitants, with only about 3 percent being Catholic.
Doubts Revealed
Pope Francis -: Pope Francis is the leader of the Catholic Church. He lives in Vatican City, which is a small country inside Rome, Italy.
Indonesia -: Indonesia is a country made up of many islands in Southeast Asia. Its capital city is Jakarta.
Papua New Guinea -: Papua New Guinea is a country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It is known for its diverse cultures and languages.
Timor Leste -: Timor Leste, also known as East Timor, is a small country in Southeast Asia. It shares an island with Indonesia.
Singapore -: Singapore is a small but very modern country in Southeast Asia. It is known for its cleanliness and tall buildings.
Apostolic Journey -: An Apostolic Journey is a trip that the Pope takes to visit different countries and meet people. It is part of his job as the leader of the Catholic Church.
Pontificate -: Pontificate is the term used to describe the period during which a Pope serves as the leader of the Catholic Church.
Joko Widodo -: Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi, is the President of Indonesia. He has been the president since 2014.
Interreligious meeting -: An interreligious meeting is a gathering where people from different religions come together to talk and share ideas.
Interfaith declaration -: An interfaith declaration is a statement signed by leaders of different religions to show their commitment to working together for peace and understanding.
Inter-religious dialogue -: Inter-religious dialogue is when people from different religions talk to each other to understand and respect each other’s beliefs.
Environmental protection -: Environmental protection means taking care of the Earth by keeping it clean and safe for all living things.
Catholic Church -: The Catholic Church is a large Christian church led by the Pope. It has many followers around the world.
Asia -: Asia is the largest continent on Earth. It includes many countries like India, China, Japan, and Indonesia.
