Pope Francis arrived in Papua New Guinea on Friday evening, marking the second stop of his 12-day tour across Southeast Asia and Oceania. The 87-year-old pontiff landed in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, after departing from Indonesia earlier in the day.
The Pope, who disembarked from his Garuda Indonesia flight in a wheelchair, was welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and senior Catholic Church leaders. A military band played the Vatican anthem, while local children presented Francis with gifts during the brief welcoming ceremony at the airport.
Pope Francis will stay in Papua New Guinea for three nights, with his first public event scheduled for Saturday morning when he will address political leaders. His itinerary includes a day trip to the northwestern town of Vanimo before departing for East Timor on Monday. The pope is also set to visit Singapore before returning to Rome on September 13.
In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, Pope Francis made a historic visit to the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta and signed a joint declaration with the national grand imam. The statement urged global leaders to confront religious extremism and take decisive action on climate change, a key theme of Francis’ papacy.
Climate change is expected to remain a central focus during the pope’s visit to Papua New Guinea, where recent natural disasters, including a deadly landslide in March, have been attributed to the effects of a warming planet. Francis has been a strong advocate for environmental protection throughout his 11 years as the leader of the global Catholic Church.
This overseas journey is the pope’s longest yet, covering about 33,000 kilometers (20,500 miles) by the time he returns to Rome. His visit underscores his commitment to fostering interfaith dialogue and addressing critical global issues such as climate change.
