JAKARTA: The Indonesian Catholic Bishops’ Conference (KWI) said that Pope Francis plans to visit Indonesia from 3 to 6 September 2024.
This announcement is based on a verbal note delivered by the Ambassador of the Holy See of the Vatican to Indonesia Mgr. Piero Pioppo.
“We are happy to inform you that Pope Francis plans to visit Indonesia from 3 to 6 September 2024,” said the Chairman of KWI, Mgr. Antonius Subianto, in an official statement uploaded on the Komsos KWI YouTube channel on Monday (8 April).
The verbal note was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, on March 5 2024.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to this information with a positive reply letter from Foreign Minister Retno on March 25 2024, as well as a letter of invitation from President Joko Widodo to Pope Francis to visit Indonesia this year.
The exact schedule for the Holy Father’s arrival will be confirmed after official announcements from the Indonesian Government and the Vatican.
Mgr. Antonius added that the 87-year-old Pope’s visit would be short, but preparations had been made to welcome him with the formation of a committee with the government and religious figures.
Apart from Indonesia, the Pope is also planned to visit Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, Singapore and Vietnam.
The visit to Indonesia will be the first by a Vatican leader to Indonesia in 35 years, after the last visit by Pope John Paul II in October 1989.
Pope John Paul II at that time stopped in Jakarta, Medan, Yogyakarta, Maumere in Flores, and Dili, which at that time was still part of the province of East Timor.
Pope Francis’ health has recently been in the spotlight.
The Holy Father has made 44 trips abroad since being elected leader of the Vatican Holy See in 2013.