Arrival and Security Challenges
arrived in , greeted by a cannon salute and a marching band, marking the start of the second leg of his four-nation tour. This visit is significant as he becomes the second pope to set foot in the country, following .
detained seven individuals suspected of making social media threats to disrupt papal events with suicide bombings. The threats were described as a publicity-seeking exercise, with investigations ongoing.
Messages and Engagements
In , Pope Francis celebrated a Mass for over 100,000 attendees, urging them to build a civilization of peace and emphasizing interfaith dialogue, highlighted by a joint declaration with the grand imam of Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque.
During his Papua New Guinea visit, Francis plans to focus on social justice, meet with government officials, and visit remote areas to engage with Catholic missionaries and the indigenous population, emphasizing the country's rich cultural diversity and environmental concerns.