Pope Francis arrives in Papua New Guinea amid report of arrests in Indonesia

Rome Newsroom, Sep 6, 2024 / 09:45 am (CNA).

Pope Francis touched down in Papua New Guinea on Friday, the second country of his 12-day apostolic journey to Asia and Oceania, following emerging reports of a failed attempt on his life during his Indonesia visit.

Landing in Jacksons International Airport in the country’s capital, Port Moresby, in the evening (local time) of Sept. 6 after a six-hour flight from Jakarta, Indonesia, the pope was greeted on the tarmac by women belonging to the Mekeo tribe wearing traditional dress.

Following the guard of honor, Papua New Guinea Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and other civil dignitaries officially welcomed Pope Francis — the second pope to visit the Oceania nation — in a formal ceremony at the airport.

After being greeted by Cardinal John Ribat, archbishop of Port Moresby, and representatives of the Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, the Holy Father was also welcomed to the Oceania region by prelates from Tonga, Fiji, and New Zealand.

Crowds scrambled along the streets outside Jacksons International Airport on Friday evening, holding lit candles and smartphones, trying to capture a glimpse of the pope ahead of his public engagements and meetings with local communities.

Over the next three days, Pope Francis will meet with civil leaders and Catholic communities in Port Moresby and remote Vanimo. He will also visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady Help of Christians to meet with priests, deacons, religious orders, and catechists and celebrate Sunday Mass at Sir John Guise Stadium.

In anticipation of the Holy Father’s visit, Father Gregorio Bicomong Jr., SDB, told ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner, that he hopes Pope Francis’ presence will reinvigorate the faith and hope of the peoples of Papua New Guinea.

“We expect the Holy Father to focus on themes such as families, forgiveness, and faithfulness to Jesus. We pray that the event will have a lasting impression and a strong commitment to living our faith,” the priest told ACI Stampa.

Earlier this year, the country faced political instability and the deterioration of law and order after the government declared a state of emergency following the Jan. 10 “Black Wednesday” riots, which killed more than a dozen people and injured hundreds more.

Approximately 96% of Papua New Guinea’s population identify as Christian. The Catholic Church represents the largest denomination in the country. According to the country’s 2011 census, 3 million Catholics live in the Pacific nation with a total population 8.2 million people.

Reports of planned attack against Pope Francis

Meanwhile in Indonesia, the Straits Times reported seven people were detained by police in Jakarta between Sept. 2-3 following a tipoff by members of the public of a planned attack on Pope Francis.

According to the report, one of the arrested — who allegedly belongs to a terror group — was angered by the pontiff’s visit to Istiqlal Mosque in the country’s capital.

On Sept. 5, Pope Francis and Muslim leader Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar signed a joint declaration condemning religious-based violence at the mosque.