Pope Francis. File photo
| Photo Credit: REUTERS

Pope Francis will preside over an interfaith meeting in a mosque in the world’s largest predominantly Muslim country during a four-nation Asian visit in September that will be the longest and most complicated foreign trip of his pontificate.

The Vatican on Friday released the itinerary for the Pope’s September 2-13 trip to Indonesia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. The packed schedule makes clear that the 87-year-old pontiff, who has battled health problems and is increasingly reliant on a wheelchair, has no plans to slow down.

After a day of rest upon arrival in Jakarta on September 3, the Pope will launch into a typically rigorous round of protocol visits to the four countries’ heads of state and government, and speeches to diplomats and meetings with clergy and public Masses in each location.

In Jakarta, he will preside over an interfaith meeting at the capital’s Istiqlal Mosque.

Sprinkled in the mix are encounters with young people, poor and disabled people, elderly people and the Pope’s regular meetings with Jesuit confreres.

The trip was originally planned for 2020 but was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. At 11 full days, it’s the longest of the Pope’s 11-year papacy, outpacing by a few days some of his long trips to the Americas and recalling some of the strenuous, globe-hopping trips of St. John Paul II.

It will bring the Argentine Jesuit to the world’s most populous predominantly Muslim nation, Indonesia, as well as the former Portuguese colony of East Timor, where the Catholic Church wields enormous influence. In East Timor, however, the Pope may also have to reckon with the legacy of independence hero Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo.

Next trip

After he returns to Rome in mid-September, he has a four-day visit to Belgium before the end of the month, the only other foreign trip that has been confirmed for the year.