BANGKOK (AP) — Pope Francis has wrapped up his longest and most challenging trip ever, which took the 87-year-old pontiff more than 32,000 kilometers (20,000 miles) by air to four countries in the Asia-Pacific from Sept. 2 to 13.
East Timor ese crowd Tasitolu park for Pope Francis ’ Mass in Dili, East Timor , Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024. Pope Francis is welcomed by Indonesia ’s Minister for Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, center, soon after landing at Jakarta’s International airport Soekarno Hatta, Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Pope Francis consoles a person during a visit at the ‘Irmas ALMA’ School for Children with Disabilities in Dili, East Timor , Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024.
By days and distance, it was one of the longest papal trips ever as Francis sought to reinforce the importance that Asia has to the Catholic Church. It is one of the few places where the church is growing in terms of baptized faithful and religious vocations. After a meeting with the grand imam of Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia’s largest, the two issued a joint call to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment.
In remarks to the crowd, he urged members of the community to come together to overcome rivalries, a reference to the tribal violence that has grown more lethal in the country in recent years. Belo was sanctioned in 2020 by the Vatican for sexually abusing young boys, but to this day is still regarded as a hero by many for his efforts in supporting East Timor’s bloody struggle for independence.
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