Pope Francis, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, will visit Indonesia in September, Indonesia’s minister of non secular affairs said, amid growing concerns concerning the 87-year-old pope’s health.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, whose term is coming to an end, has invited the Pope to go to Indonesia in June 2022. The invitation has been prolonged as a part of efforts to advertise religious tolerance, given Indonesia’s status as considered one of the countries with the most important Muslim population on this planet.
Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas announced in an official statement from the Ministry of Religious Affairs that the federal government had received notification from the Vatican authorities concerning the planned visit of Pope Francis.
“After two years of waiting, Pope Francis will finally come to Indonesia. I imagine it can be a special gift for Catholics,” Qoumas said at an event in Central Java, Indonesia, on Saturday (March 30).
Based on a letter received by the Indonesian government from the Vatican, Qoumas revealed that Pope Francis’ arrival in Indonesia is scheduled for September 3, 2024, in accordance with the ministry’s website.
“It will be an honor for Indonesia,” he added.
According to the Pew Research Center, Indonesia has 242 million Muslims and about 29 million Christians, of whom about 8.5 million discover as Catholic.
In addition to the planned visit to Indonesia, Pope Francis will visit Papua New Guinea in August, the country’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko confirmed in January. Vatican sources also mention plans for the pope to go to East Timor in the identical month.
Since being elected by cardinals in 2013, Pope Francis has made 44 international trips. He plans to go to Belgium later this 12 months and can probably visit Argentina, his home country.
Concerns about Pope Francis’ health have increased after the sudden cancellation of a giant Good Friday procession. In a transient statement on March 29, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis would take part in the Stations of the Cross on the Colosseum from his residence on the Santa Marta Residence to guard his health before the Easter Vigil and Sunday Mass.
