Pope Francis embarks on 12-day Asia-Pacific tour marking the Catholic Church's pivot to the region

Pope Francis has embarked on a 12-day, four-nation tour of Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, marking the furthest geographical distance he has traveled since his 2013 election. The tour, which began with Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, will also take in Papua New Guinea. The 87-year-old Pope is scheduled to headline over 40 events during the trip, which was originally planned for 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This visit is being seen as a nod to the importance of Asia.