Pope Francis arrived in Papua New Guinea on Friday evening, following his visit to Indonesia. The 87-year-old leader of the Catholic Church is embarking on an ambitious 12-day journey across Southeast Asia and Oceania.
The Garuda Indonesia flight transporting the pope and his entourage landed in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, where he will remain for three nights. Upon his arrival, the pontiff, who used a wheelchair to disembark, was greeted on the tarmac by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and prominent members of the local Catholic Church.
Children from the area presented Pope Francis with gifts, accompanied by a military band playing the Vatican’s anthem. Following a brief welcome ceremony at the airport, he retired to the Vatican embassy for the night. His first public engagement in the country is scheduled for Saturday morning, where he will address political leaders.
During his visit, Francis plans to make a day trip to the town of Vanimo before leaving Papua New Guinea on Monday. His itinerary also includes stops in East Timor and Singapore, with his return to Rome expected on September 13.
In Indonesia, the pope emphasized the need for political leaders to safeguard against religious extremism. He paid a visit to Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, and co-signed a declaration with the national grand imam, urging decisive action from both Catholics and Muslims to address the urgent threat of climate change.
The issue of climate change is likely to be a focal point of his visit to Papua New Guinea, particularly as local leaders have attributed recent natural disasters, including a landslide that claimed around 2,000 lives in March, to the impacts of climate change. Throughout his 11-year papacy, Pope Francis has been a vocal advocate for environmental issues.
With this flight, the pope will have traveled approximately 16,000 kilometers (around 10,000 miles) as part of this international trip, representing his longest journey yet. By the time he returns to Rome, he will have logged nearly 33,000 kilometers (20,500 miles).