In a move that underscores his commitment to interfaith dialogue and harmony, Pope Francis is set to preside over an interfaith meeting in a mosque in Indonesia, the world's largest predominantly Muslim country.
This event forms part of a four-nation Asian tour in September, marking the most extensive and complex foreign trip of his pontificate.
As reported by ABC News, the Vatican unveiled the itinerary for the Pope's visit, which spans from September 2 to 13 and includes stops in Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore. Despite his advanced age of 87 and ongoing health challenges, the Pope's packed schedule reflects his unwavering dedication to his duties.
Upon landing in Jakarta on September 3, the Pope will embark on a series of protocol visits to heads of state and government, deliver speeches to diplomats, and conduct meetings with clergy and public Masses. This will be the third papal visit to Indonesia, following Pope Paul VI in 1970 and Pope John Paul II in 1989.
Indonesia, home to Southeast Asia's second-largest Christian population, is a religiously diverse nation. Approximately 87% of its 277 million residents are Muslim, but it also has significant Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and Confucian communities.
In Jakarta, Pope Francis will lead an interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque, where leaders of the six officially recognized and protected religions in Indonesia are expected to attend. The Pope is also slated to traverse the "Tunnel of Friendship," a passageway linking the mosque to the neo-Gothic Our Lady of The Assumption Cathedral, built by Indonesian authorities in 2020.
The Pope's visit to Indonesia, therefore, is anticipated to underscore the importance of interreligious harmony and tolerance, a recurring theme in his foreign visits, particularly to Muslim-majority nations.
The Pope's itinerary in all four countries includes interactions with young people, the poor, the disabled, the elderly, and his Jesuit confreres. Initially planned for 2020, the trip was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, at 11 full days, it stands as the longest of Francis' 11-year papacy.
The tour will take the Argentine Jesuit to Indonesia, the world's most populous predominantly Muslim nation, and East Timor, one of the world's newest countries and a former Portuguese colony where the Catholic Church holds significant sway.
East Timor, with a Catholic population of 98.3% according to the 2022 census, is the Asian country with the highest proportion of Catholics after the Philippines. Pope Francis will be the second pope to visit East Timor after John Paul in 1989, but the first since the country gained independence from Indonesia in 2002.
However, the Pope's visit to East Timor may also necessitate addressing the legacy of Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, a local independence hero and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The Vatican sanctioned Belo in 2020 for sexually abusing young Timorese boys.
Despite a recurring case of bronchitis that led to the cancellation of a trip to Dubai last year, Pope Francis has appeared in good health in recent months. However, due to mobility issues caused by bad knee ligaments, his foreign trips have generally been shorter in recent years.
Following his return to Rome in mid-September, the Pope is scheduled to visit Belgium and Luxembourg for four days, marking his only other confirmed foreign trip for the year. This ambitious schedule underscores Pope Francis's commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue and promoting harmony among diverse religious communities.
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