Jakarta, Sep 3 (EFE).- Pope Francis landed in the Indonesian capital on Tuesday for his longest trip to date, spanning four Southeast Asian countries and expected to focus on interfaith ties.
Indonesia, which has the largest population of Muslims in the world, is the first stop on his 12-day tour, during which he will also visit Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore until Sep. 13.
The Ita Airways flight carrying the Pope, the Vatican delegation and 75 journalists landed at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport shortly before 11.30 am local time (04:30 GMT) after a 13-hour flight.
The 87-year-old was received by Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, and will rest for the remainder of Tuesday.
His official agenda will begin on Wednesday with a welcome ceremony at the Istana Merdeka Presidential Palace before a courtesy visit to President Joko Widodo.
He is also expected to greet immigrants and Sant’Egidio community members in the country, as well as representatives of the Catholic, diplomatic and civil society sectors.
Some 4,300 soldiers and 4,700 police officers, as well as snipers, will ensure the Pope’s safety, according to Indonesian authorities, during the various events in the archipelago between Sep. 3-6.
He will also be accompanied by members of the Vatican’s Swiss Guards.
This is the third pope to visit Indonesia, after Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989, and the pontiff is expected to highlight interfaith dialogue, as well as climate change.
On Thursday he will take part in an interfaith meeting at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia’s largest, and hold a Mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, expected to draw 80,000 people, before heading to Papua New Guinea on Friday.
Catholicism makes up around 3 percent of Indonesia’s 270 million people, but is still the third-largest Catholic population in Asia after the Philippines and China. Muslims make up around 87 percent of the country.
Indonesia officially recognizes Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. EFE
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