{"id":2544,"date":"2024-04-12T12:57:03","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T12:57:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2544"},"modified":"2024-04-12T12:57:03","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T12:57:03","slug":"pope-francis-to-make-12-day-asia-trip-in-september","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalpulse.net\/?p=2544","title":{"rendered":"Pope Francis to make 12-day Asia trip in September"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Francis’s health issues raised questions on whether his Asia visit would go ahead – Copyright AFP MANAN VATSYAYANA<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n

Cl\u00e9ment MELKI<\/em><\/p>\n

Pope Francis will visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore in September, the Vatican announced Friday, an ambitious trip that could test the 87-year-old\u2019s increasingly fragile health.<\/p>\n

Running from September 2 to 13 and covering around 30,000 kilometres (18,600 miles) in total, the trip is the longest for the Argentine since he became head of the worldwide Catholic Church in 2013.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe will visit Jakarta from 3 to 6 September, Port Moresby and Vanimo from 6 to 9 September, Dili from 9 to 11 September and Singapore from 11 to 13 September,\u201d the Vatican said in a statement.<\/p>\n

The visit, his first abroad since September last year, has been on the cards for months, but the pontiff\u2019s health issues had raised questions on whether it would go ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Francis pulled out of a key Easter event at the last minute in March, and has asked aides to read several of his speeches in recent weeks due a bout of bronchitis.<\/p>\n

The pontiff, who uses a wheelchair, has suffered increasing health problems in recent years, from knee pain to surgery for a hernia and on his colon.<\/p>\n

He is known for his work ethic \u2014 he never takes holidays \u2014 but has been forced to make concessions to his age and health, including cancelling a trip to UN climate talks in Dubai last year.<\/p>\n

Francis had been due to visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Indonesia in September 2020 but the trip was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n

\u2013 Tolerance, unity and peace \u2013<\/p>\n

Involving more than 30 hours of flight, an eight-hour time difference and a series of meetings and masses, the September trip will represent a major physical challenge.<\/p>\n

But the pontiff loves being among his flock, and his arrival is keenly awaited.<\/p>\n

The government in Indonesia, home to the world\u2019s largest Muslim population, had already announced the pope\u2019s visit last month, describing it as a \u201cspecial gift\u201d for the country\u2019s Catholics.<\/p>\n

In a statement Friday, its foreign ministry said the visit was important \u201cfor all religious communities\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe visit is also expected to strengthen the message of tolerance, unity and world peace,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n

According to the Pew Research Centre, Indonesia is home to 242 million Muslims and around 29 million Christians \u2014 8.5 million of whom are Catholics.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Authorities in Papua New Guinea had also announced in January his visit, but no trips are considered official until the Vatican confirms.<\/p>\n

Papua New Guinea is home to more than nine million Christians \u2014 almost the entire population \u2014 though most Papua New Guineans are Protestant, while retaining many traditional animist beliefs.<\/p>\n

A 400-year-old version of the King James Bible, bound in calfskin, sits in the centre of the country\u2019s parliament.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The last papal visit was in 1995, when Pope John Paul II was met with tribal dancers adorned with the feathers of exotic birds, grass skirts and loincloths.<\/p>\n

Since becoming pope 11 years ago, Francis has made 44 trips abroad, the most recent to Marseille, France, in September.<\/p>\n

He has also announced plans to visit Belgium this year, while he has mentioned a possible visit home to Argentina.<\/p>\n

Francis also has three coming trips planned within Italy, the first of which will be to Venice on April 28.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Pope Francis to make 12-day Asia trip in September
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#Pope #Francis #12day #Asia #trip #September<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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