Pope Francis Departures for Rome After 12-Day Asia Trip, According to Reuters

By Joshua McElwee

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT – Pope Francis returned to Rome on Friday after an intensive journey through Southeast Asia and Oceania, during which he emphasized the urgency of action on climate change, advocated for interfaith dialogue, and reinforced the Catholic Church’s presence in a region where it remains a small minority.

The flight carrying the pope and his entourage departed Singapore shortly after 12:25 p.m. local time and is expected to land in Rome later in the evening, following a 12-hour journey across six time zones.

Over the course of 12 days, Francis visited Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore. Despite being 87 years old and having experienced health issues in recent years, he appeared to be in good spirits throughout the trip, successfully maintaining a busy itinerary that included over 40 events.

Notable moments from his journey included a visit to a township in Papua New Guinea, home to approximately 12,000 residents, where the pope distributed hundreds of kilograms of essential goods such as medicines, clothing, and toys for children.

Additionally, he celebrated a Mass in East Timor attended by around 600,000 people, which is nearly half of the country’s population of 1.3 million — marking one of the largest turnouts for a Mass in relation to a country’s population during a papal visit. East Timor is not only the only Catholic-majority nation on Francis’ tour but also boasts a staggering 96% Catholic population.

This 12-day voyage marked the longest of Francis’ papacy and is among the most extended in papal history. By the time he reaches Rome, he will have traveled nearly 33,000 kilometers (20,500 miles).

Due to ongoing issues with knee and back pain, the pope utilized a wheelchair for the entire trip but managed to keep all scheduled appointments.

In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, he signed a joint declaration with the national grand imam, urging global climate action. While in Singapore, he called upon the government of this major financial hub to ensure fair wages for the nation’s million-plus lower-paid foreign workers.

Francis has a history of visiting places that have not previously hosted a pope or where Catholics are a small minority. He is only the second pope to visit three of the four countries on his itinerary.

During his time in Papua New Guinea, Pope Francis offered a glimpse into the challenges of leading the 1.4-billion-member global Catholic Church. In a candid moment with a group of young people, he requested their prayers, adding earnestly, "This job is not easy."