Pope Francis concluded his visit to Indonesia today following a mass attended by 100,000 people, marking the final celebration before his journey to Papua New Guinea for the second leg of his 11-day trip through Southeast Asia and Oceania.
The 87-year-old Pope had no official engagements today except for a farewell ceremony and a six-hour flight to Port Moresby, allowing him a brief rest after a three-day program in Jakarta.
The papal visit began with a mass yesterday afternoon, attended by thousands of worshippers.
In his message to the people of Indonesia, Pope Francis encouraged the country’s 8.9 million Catholics—who make up only 3% of the 275 million population—while urging stronger interfaith relations in the country, which boasts the largest Muslim population in the world.
A key highlight of his visit was the signing of a declaration between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia. The declaration promised to work together to end religion-related violence and protect the environment.
Pope Francis’ agenda in Papua New Guinea will focus on his social justice priorities. The country is considered economically disadvantaged.
The Pope is also scheduled to travel to the remote area of Vanimo to meet Catholic missionaries from his native Argentina who are working to spread the Catholic faith among indigenous groups still practicing paganism and traditional beliefs.
