Pope Francis begins Asia-Pacific tour with historic visit to Indonesia

JAKARTA — As part of a four-country tour of the Asia-Pacific region, Pope Francis landed in Indonesia for the first stop of his three-day visit. Indonesia is home to 8 million Catholics, who make up less than 3% of the population, while 87% are Muslim.

The visit, aimed at promoting interfaith dialogue, will be followed by trips to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.

During his stay, Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and representatives of the six officially recognized religions at the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.

The Pope will also sign a joint declaration with the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, focusing on two key issues: the dehumanization caused by conflicts and violence against women and children, as well as environmental protection.

Additionally, he will preside over a Mass at a sports stadium for approximately 8,000 people, according to Antonius Subianto Bunjamin, president of the Indonesian Archbishops’ Conference.

This Indo-Pacific tour aligns with the Pope’s goal of reaching regions far from Rome. Originally planned for 2020, the visit was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Later this month, Pope Francis is also scheduled to visit Luxembourg and Belgium on his next international trip.