At 87 years old, Pope Francis will begin the longest trip of his pontificate on Monday. He will visit four countries in 12 days and have a minimum of 33 meetings and 16 speeches.
His first stop will be Indonesia, one of the world's most populous countries. Catholics make up only 3% of the population. There, the Pope will sign a joint declaration with a Muslim leader.
STEFANUS GUSMA
Chairman, Catholic Youth Organization Indonesia
The Pope's presence in Indonesia is not only for Catholics but for all Indonesians. Because the Pope's views, thoughts, values related to humanity, brotherhood and the environment have become a necessity, an interest and a commitment for all of us. So we are very proud that Indonesia is one of the countries chosen by the Pope.
Afterwards, the Pope will travel to Papua New Guinea, where over 800 languages are spoken. It is also home to the third largest rainforest in the world.
Pope Francis has already had a glimpse of what life is like in Papua New Guinea. In May, he met with an indigenous leader and environmental activist who raises awareness of the problems facing the country, specifically deforestation.
From there, the Pope will take yet another flight, this time to East Timor, a former Portuguese colony that is the second most Catholic country in Asia.
Pope Francis' last stop will be Singapore, one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. The over 48,000 tickets for the Pope's first Mass are sold out. It will celebrated in the same place that Pope John Paul II held Mass in 1986.
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