JAKARTA, 03 september 2024 (TATOLI) – Pope Francis landed in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta to begin Asia-Pacific tour where he is expected to encourage Muslim-Catholic collaboration for peace and living together and encourage global action against climate change.
The aircraft carrying the Pope Francis arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 11.16 local time, on tuesday (03/09).
At the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the 87-year-old pontiff was warmly welcomed by various religious groups who waved at his arrival as a motorcade carrying the Holy Father.
He is the third Pope to visit Indonesia, after Paul VI in 1970 and St. John Paul II in 1989.
After arriving at the apostolic nunciature in Jakarta, the Holy Father had a private meeting with refugees taken in by the Jesuit Refugee Service, orphaned children raised by Dominican nuns, as well as elderly, refugees, and homeless people accompanied by the Indonesian Community of Sant’Egidio, according to Vatican News.
Pope Francis will stay three nights in Indonesia, where he will meet with various public and religious leaders, including the outgoing President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, the diplomatic corps, civil society, bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians and catechists.
Pope Francis will also visit the Jakarta’s main mosque where he will address the interreligious meeting. He is expected to tour the Tunnel of Friendship, an underground tunnel that connects the mosque to the Indonesia’s cathedral.
Before leaving for Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis will wrap up his visit to Indonesia with a large open-air Mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, where more than 70,000 Indonesian Catholics are expected to attend.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Rafael Ximenes de A. Belo
