Pope Francis Arrives in Indonesia, Welcomed by Jakarta Archbishop, Minister

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Francis arrived at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Cengkareng, Indonesia, on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. The Pope and his Vatican Holy See entourage landed at 11:30 a.m. 

The Pope descended the steps on the right side of the Italia Airways plane. Upon disembarking, he was assisted into a wheelchair by the Vatican's Inter-Religious Dicastery staffer, Markus Solo Kewuta. Swiss Guards, serving as the Pope's personal bodyguards, escorted him on both sides.

Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo, Chairman of the Pope's Arrival Committee, and the Vatican's Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia Piero Pioppo greeted the Bishop of Rome, whose real name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio. 

The Pope immediately boarded a white MPV with the plate SCV 1 and headed to the Vatican Embassy in Gambir. During his stay in Indonesia, the Pope will reside at the Vatican Embassy.

The Pope has no official agenda for today. According to Markus, the Pope will rest before commencing his activities in Indonesia from Wednesday to Friday, September 4-6, 2024.

The Pope's journey from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci International Airport lasted over 17 hours. During the flight to Jakarta, he engaged with journalists from various countries who were covering his trip.

Pope Francis expressed his gratitude to the journalists for joining him on the flight. “I believe this is the longest journey I have ever undertaken,” he said in Italian on Monday, September 2, 2024. 

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA

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