ER
POPE FRANCIS, the leader of the Catholic Church and the Vatican’s Head of State, expressed his gratitude to all Indonesians for their warm welcome during his visit.
“Thank you to the people of Indonesia,” he remarked as he concluded a grand holy mass at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday (09/5), 2024.
He noted that his visit to Indonesia was nearing its end and wanted to thank all those who had supported the visit.
“I thank Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop of Jakarta, and the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia (KWI) for their service to the people and to God,” he added.
Pope Francis also extended his thanks to President Joko Widodo for the warm reception.
On the same occasion, Ignatius Cardinal Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo expressed gratitude to Pope Francis for his willingness to visit Indonesia.
“Goodbye, Holy Father. As you continue your journey to share hope, thank you, thank you, thank you,” he said. Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II had previously visited Indonesia in 1970 and 1989, respectively.
Pope Francis is undertaking an apostolic journey to Asia-Oceania from September 3–13, 2024. After Indonesia, he will visit Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Singapore. This 11-day trip is the 87-year-old Pope’s longest pontifical journey in his 11-year papacy. [antaranews]
