Latest News

Pope Francis departs Indonesia for Papua New Guinea, stop two of 12-day trip

Pope Francis left Indonesia on Friday early morning for Papua New Guinea, where the 87yearold leader of the international Catholic Church will continue an enthusiastic 12day trip across Southeast Asia and Oceania.

The Garuda Indonesia aircraft bring the pope and his entourage left Jakarta's airport for the flight to Port Moresby, the Papua New Guinean capital, where he will remain for the next 3 nights.

While in PNG Francis will make an excursion to the northwestern town of Vanimo, before departing the nation on Monday. He is then arranged to visit East Timor and Singapore before returning to Rome on Sept. 13.

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, Francis advised political leaders to defend against religious extremism.

The pope likewise checked out Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia's. biggest, and signed a joint statement with the national grand. imam. The declaration required decisive action by Catholics. and Muslims to urge international leaders to challenge the dangers of. climate change.

The warming world is expected to remain a focus for the. pope's go to in Papua New Guinea, where politicians have. blamed climate change for a wave of natural catastrophes,. including a landslide in March that eliminated at least 2,000. people.

The pope has stressed the significance of ecological concerns. throughout his 11-year papacy.

Francis will take part in a short ceremony on arrival in. Port Moresby late Friday afternoon, and then head to the Vatican. embassy for the evening. His very first public event in the country. will be an address to political leaders on Saturday morning.

With Friday's flight, the pope will have travelled about. 16,000 km

(source: Reuters)