VATICAN CITY: By embarking aged 87 on the farthest journey of his papacy, Pope Francis is doing something some believed impossible – and seeking to silence those who doubt his ability to fulfil his role.
The pontiff’s 12-day trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore starting next week involves 43 hours of flight time and a distance of 32,000km.
It would be something of an odyssey for anyone, but particularly for someone who has been plagued in recent years by health issues, sparking speculation he might step down as head of the Catholic Church.
The trip was originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now takes place just three months before his 88th birthday.
Weeks ago few observers thought Pope Francis was capable of such a gruelling voyage, with the corridors of the Vatican buzzing with concerns over his health.
At Easter, the holiest week in the Christian calendar, Pope Francis withdrew from several events, weakened by a lingering flu.
Months earlier, bronchitis caused him to cancel a trip to United Nations climate talks in Dubai in December.
In June 2023, he also underwent hernia surgery that left him hospitalised for 10 days.
Now some are wondering: Is it reasonable for the octogenarian to keep up the frantic pace, with 16 speeches and countless meetings and ceremonies scheduled across four countries?
“The pope still believes that we need to push a little further,” a senior Vatican diplomat told AFP.
“He feels capable of making this trip this year. Next year, it will be less certain.”
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Former pope Benedict XVI in 2013 became the first since the Middle Ages to step down, citing his declining physical and mental health – and Pope Francis has left the door open to following suit.
But the Argentine Jesuit has repeatedly stressed that he is not there yet and views travelling as particularly important, a cornerstone of his ministry that prioritises spreading the faith.
With this 45th trip abroad, Pope Francis returns to his love as a pastor among his flock, far from the bureaucracy of the Vatican and close to ordinary people, who seem to give him energy and momentum.
