Aside from Jakarta in Indonesia, Francis will also visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore. He will speak in public 16 times during the trip.
The papal visit was planned to take place in 2020, but was then postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Over the four years that have passed, the 87-year-old pope's health has deteriorated, and he is now getting around with the help of a wheelchair.
A planned trip to Dubai to attend one of the UN's climate meetings was cancelled last autumn, but the Vatican announces that the Southeast Asian visit will take place as planned. The Pope is traveling with his personal physician and two nurses, which he has also done previously.
Besides official appearances, Francis will meet with Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, local church leaders, and representatives from youth organizations. On September 5, he will also meet with Imam Nasaruddin Umar at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta.
The goal of the trip is to speak to the growing Catholic population in the four countries and to strengthen the papal office's position.
