Published:
Sep 2, 2024 03:30 GMT
The director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni, assured the media that “there is no concern for the Pope’s health.”
Pope Francis is leaving on Monday for three countries in Asia and one in Oceania, on what will be the longest trip of his 11 years as pontificate, both in terms of time and distance.
The papal journey will pass through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore from September 2 to 13, spanning four time zones and covering 32,814 kilometers by air.
The 87-year-old pontiff had to cancel his trip to Dubai last November due to flu and inflammation of the respiratory tract, followed by bronchitis in the following months. He was also forced to use a wheelchair due to back and knee pain.
However, the director of the Vatican Press Office, Matteo Bruni, assured to media that “do not exist” no worries for the health of the Pope” and explained that there will be a doctor and two nurses to look after Francis’ health, in addition to the personal health assistant.
The tour, in which the Pope is expected to focus on issues such as interfaith peacehe environment and the importance of Asia for the Catholic Church, was initially planned for 2020, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The agenda of Francis’ visits includes meetings with authorities, diplomats and Catholic representatives from the four nations. He plans to do so 16 speechesin Italian and Spanish, and star in more than 40 events.
Your first stop will be Indonesiathe most populous Muslim country in the world and where only 3% are Catholics. Prioritizing tolerance and dialogue, Francis – who in 2019 became the first pope to visit the Arabian Peninsula – will participate in a interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta, the largest in Southeast Asia.
At his next stop, Papua New Guineawill meet with missionaries of Argentine origin, as well as address the issue of global warming, rising sea levels, the impact of heat waves and typhoons.
Then he will leave for East Timorwhere more than 98% of its population consider themselves Catholic. There he will celebrate a mass on the same esplanade where Pope John Paul II celebrated the liturgy in 1989, considered by many to have been key in supporting the independence movement against Indonesia.
Your last stop on this trip will be Singaporea country where three-quarters of the population are ethnic Chinese. Some analysts see this as a further step towards the Holy See’s rapprochement with the Asian giant, home to some 12 million Catholics.
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