Pope Francis Arrives in Indonesia
Jakarta. Pope Francis has just arrived in Indonesia as he kicked off his Jakarta trip.
The plane carrying the Catholic church leader arrived at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Tuesday at 11.26 a.m. The pope had gone on an over 13-hour flight to Indonesia. As soon as he stepped down from the plane on a wheelchair at around 11.40 a.m.
Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Jakarta Archbishop Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo, and the Vatican Ambassador Mgr Pierro Pioppo, among others, were at the airport to welcome the pope.
Pope Francis, who was all smiles, immediately went to the Vatican Embassy in Jakarta by car. He sat right next to the driver. The pope has been making headlines for favoring humble accommodations of staying at the embassy rather than a five-star hotel.
This will be the third time for Indonesia to host a papal visit. In 1970, then-President Soeharto greeted the visiting Pope Paul VI. Indonesia also had a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1989.
Pope Francis will be in Indonesia from September 3-6. He will meet President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Wednesday. His agenda also includes visits to the Jakarta Cathedral Church and the Istiqlal Mosque. He will also lead a mass at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium on Thursday.
His visit embraces the theme of "Faith, Fraternity, Compassion”.
Indonesia will be the 66th country visited by Pope Francis since his papacy began in 2013. He will make stops at Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore after the Jakarta trip before flying back to Rome on September 13.
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