Indonesia Welcomes Pope Francis with Cannon Salutes in Historic Visit
In a historic moment, Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, welcomed Pope Francis with resounding cannon salutes as he embarked on his visit to the country.
As the cannon fire echoed through the air, President Joko Widodo and President-elect Prabowo Subianto greeted Pope Francis at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Indonesia marks the first stop on the Pope’s four-nation tour across Asia, which will also see him visit Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.
The ceremonial welcome was a grand affair, featuring a military band, an honor guard, and children dressed in traditional Indonesian attire. This visit is particularly significant, as Pope Francis is the first pontiff to visit Indonesia in 35 years.
In his address at the event, Pope Francis drew a parallel between the rich diversity of Indonesia’s people and the 17,000 islands that make up the archipelago. He highlighted that each individual contributes something unique to what he described as a “magnificent mosaic, where each piece is an irreplaceable part of an original and precious work.”
However, the Pope also issued a cautionary note, acknowledging that such diversity in a nation with the world’s largest Muslim population could also be a source of conflict. He urged Indonesia to uphold its commitment to “unity in diversity” and to combat religious intolerance.
Despite the challenges of standing for long periods and moving frequently from his wheelchair to a chair and car, Pope Francis maintained his characteristic humor throughout the visit. He praised Indonesia’s relatively high birth rate, contrasting it with the West, where, he quipped, “many people prefer to raise dogs and cats.”
Although Catholics make up just 3% of Indonesia’s 275 million people, the country is home to the world’s largest Catholic seminary, a key institution for training future priests. During his extensive tour from September 3-13, the Pope will cover a total of 32,814 kilometers by air—making it one of the longest papal journeys in terms of both duration and distance traveled.
This visit comes at a time when Pope Francis is facing several health issues. At 87 years old, he now uses a wheelchair, frequently suffers from bronchitis, and has undergone multiple surgeries for intestinal problems.
