VATICAN CITY. Pope Francis has set out on what is being hailed as the longest, farthest, and most challenging journey of his papacy, with the geopolitical backdrop of China looming large. This historic tour, spanning four countries in Asia and Oceania, is not only a testament to the Pope’s resilience at 87 years old but also highlights the significance of the region for the Catholic Church.
The pontiff’s journey, which runs from September 2 to 13, will see him cover a staggering 32,814 kilometers (20,390 miles) by air, far surpassing any of his previous 44 foreign trips. The destinations include Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore—places of profound religious, cultural, and political importance.
Pope Francis is not embarking on this arduous journey alone. Due to the extensive nature of the trip, he has included his personal secretaries in the Vatican delegation, a move reflecting the complexity of navigating the four-country program while maintaining his duties back in Rome. This delegation also includes a medical team, underscoring the challenges the Pope faces due to his age and health conditions.
Indonesia: A Beacon of Interfaith Harmony
The Pope’s visit to Indonesia will begin with a powerful symbol of interfaith dialogue: the “Tunnel of Friendship” connecting Jakarta’s main Istiqlal Mosque and the Catholic cathedral. Accompanied by Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar, Francis will walk through this underground passage before participating in an interfaith gathering where they will sign a joint declaration.
As the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia’s commitment to religious tolerance is enshrined in its constitution, which officially recognizes six religions. The Pope is expected to highlight this tradition as a model for global religious harmony. “If we are able to create a kind of collaboration between each other, that could be a great strength of the Indonesian nation,” said Imam Umar in anticipation of the visit.
Papua New Guinea: Reaching the Peripheries
In Papua New Guinea, the Pope will venture into the remote and poverty-stricken northern coastal town of Vanimo, fulfilling his long-held vision of the Church reaching out to the “peripheries.” This stop is particularly significant as it resonates with the Pope’s call for the Church to comfort those most in need.
In Vanimo, Francis will meet with missionaries from his native Argentina, who are working to integrate Christianity with local tribal traditions. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, head of the Vatican’s missionary evangelization office, emphasized the importance of understanding tribal cultures, stating, “If we suspend our preconceptions, even in tribal cultures we can find human values close to Christian ideals.”
The Pope is also expected to address environmental concerns, such as deep-sea mining and climate change, which threaten vulnerable communities in Papua New Guinea.
East Timor: Revisiting a Legacy of Suffering and Hope
Francis’s visit to East Timor is steeped in historical significance, as he retraces the steps of St. John Paul II’s 1989 visit during Indonesia’s brutal occupation. East Timor, which gained independence in 2002, still bears the scars of an occupation that claimed the lives of nearly 200,000 people.
The Pope will celebrate Mass at the same seaside esplanade where John Paul II held a landmark liturgy, which played a pivotal role in galvanizing the Timorese independence movement. “That Mass with the pope was a very strong, very important moment for Timor’s identity,” noted Giorgio Bernardelli, editor of AsiaNews.
However, Francis’s visit also coincides with the shadow of the clergy sexual abuse scandal involving Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, a revered figure in East Timor who was sanctioned by the Vatican in 2020 for sexually abusing minors. It remains to be seen whether the Pope will address this sensitive issue during his visit.
Singapore: A Strategic Stop with China in the Background
In Singapore, Pope Francis is expected to send a message to China, a country with which the Vatican has been cautiously improving relations. Singapore’s significant Chinese population and its strategic position in Asia make it a key location for the Pope to reach out to Beijing as the Vatican seeks to renew a landmark 2018 agreement on bishop nominations in China.
Just last week, the Vatican expressed “satisfaction” with China’s official recognition of Bishop Melchior Shi Hongzhen, which the Holy See views as a positive outcome of its ongoing dialogue with the Chinese government.
However, the Pope’s visit to Singapore also places him in the midst of a broader geopolitical tension, as China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea continues to be a point of contention in the region.
As Pope Francis embarks on this extraordinary journey, the world will be watching closely, not only for the religious significance of his visits but also for the subtle diplomatic messages that may shape the future of the Catholic Church’s relationship with Asia.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
