Pope Francis Visits Jakarta on September 3-6

This visit is the first papal visit to Indonesia in 35 years. The last papal visit was in 1989.

AFP/TIZIANA FABI

Pope Francis spoke at the Basilica of St. Peter when delivering his Easter message 'Urbi et Orbi' or "To the City and the World" as part of the celebration of Holy Week, in Vatican on Sunday (31/3/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Pope Francis will visit Jakarta on 3-6 September 2024. The visit of the highest leader of the Roman Catholic Church to Jakarta is part of a 12-day visit to four countries, namely Indonesia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore.

Deputy Media Coordinator for the Visiting Committee of the Holy Father Francis at the Indonesian Catholic Bishops' Conference (KWI), Anthonius Gregorius A Lalu Pr, said that Indonesia would be the first country visited in a series of visits to the Asia Pacific scheduled for September 2-13. "This news has been confirmed by the Vatican Secretariat and has been officially informed by the Indonesian Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday afternoon," said Anthonius in a statement in Jakarta, Friday (12/4/2024 ).

Also read: Vatican Ensures Pope Francis' Visit to Indonesia

After Indonesia, the Pope will continue his visit to Port Moresby and Vanimo, Papua New Guinea on September 6-9, 2024. The third country in the itinerary is Dili, Timor-Leste on September 9-11. Meanwhile, Singapore will be the final stop in the visit, on September 11-13, 2024. Furthermore, according to Anthonius, the program and agenda of the Pope's trip in Indonesia will be published through official communication channels between the Vatican Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as representatives of the Indonesian Government.

VATICAN MEDIA / AFP

This photo was taken and shared on March 31st, 2024 by The Vatican Media showing Pope Francis delivering the Easter message 'Urbi et Orbi' and blessing the City and the World from the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican.

Indonesian Ambassador to the Vatican, Michael Trias Kuncahyono, said that the Pope's visit has two perspectives. Firstly, the Pope as a leader of the Catholic Church who greets his followers in Indonesia in his role as a shepherd. Meanwhile, the second aspect is the Pope as the Head of State of the Vatican.

Also read: Pope Cancels Appearance at Station of the Cross Due to Health Considerations

The issue of air pollution is not new. The community has long been threatened by air pollution. There is also no shortage of research evidence indicating the threats of the impact of air pollution. However, this has not yet been able to inspire significant efforts in controlling air pollution. As a result, residents are increasingly suffering, living in the midst of air pollution. "Indonesia and the Holy See have had a relationship since 1947. The Holy See, which supports Indonesia's independence, sovereignty, and the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, became one of the first countries to have a relationship with Indonesia," said Trias. According to Trias, the Pope also appreciates the good relations between the two countries and religious life in Indonesia that upholds tolerance. Through his visit, the Pope wants to increase and strengthen the relationship between the two countries. In addition, through this visit, it is hoped that the message brought by the Pope can strengthen the messages of tolerance, unity, and world peace.

In its statement, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the visit. "Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia is of great significance to Indonesian society, not only for Catholics but also for people of all religions. This visit is also expected to strengthen messages of tolerance, unity, and world peace," said the Ministry's statement.

ARSIP KOMPAS

Paulus Suparmono CM (center), a missionary from Indonesia during a mission trip to Choiseul Province, Solomon Islands

Indonesian Missionaries

According to Trias, the Pope's visit to Indonesia is also seen as an appreciation of the role of the Catholic Church in the world. "Currently, Indonesia is one of the largest senders of monks and nuns in the world. There are approximately 1,600 monks and nuns from Indonesia in Italy alone. This is a very large number," he said.

Also read: From the Indonesian Church to the World

These Indonesian monks and nuns play a role not only in church duties but also participate in various humanitarian and social tasks in many countries. They also play a role in the world of education in several countries.

This visit is the first papal visit in 35 years after the last papal visit by Pope John Paul II in 1989. The Pope's planned visit to Indonesia attracted world attention because Indonesia is a country with a Muslim population largest in the world.

KOMPAS/ DIAH MARSIDI

Pope John Paul II during his visit to Medan, October 1989.

Data from the Ministry of Religious Affairs in 2022 shows that the number of Muslims in Indonesia is around 242 million people, with 20.5 million Christians and approximately 8.5 million Catholics.

The Asia-Pacific visit will be the longest journey in the 11-year pontificate of Pope Francis (87). This trip is even longer than his visit to America at the beginning of his papacy. The trip is planned amidst Pope Francis's declining health, which has often been the center of attention.

Previously, Pope Francis had to cancel his plans to visit Dubai at the end of last year due to severe bronchitis. The Pope, whose one lung was removed when he was young, was also reported to have respiratory issues throughout the winter season. (AP/AFP)