Pope Francis’ frenetic travel program

Just a few weeks ago, Pope Francis, at 87, refrained from delivering his speeches. The Vatican cited a persistent bronchitis. For nearly a month, the pope had one of his collaborators read his texts. During Holy Week, he also declined to participate in the Way of the Cross, organized at the Colosseum. This last-minute announcement raised serious concerns about his health before the pope ultimately presided over Easter weekend celebrations.

Nevertheless, this latest alarm about the pope’s health did not prevent the Vatican April 12 from announcing a major Asian tour scheduled for early September. With planned visits to Indonesia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor, Francis’ journey is expected to last nearly 12 days. This would make it the longest trip since the start of his pontificate in 2013.

It’s safe to say that this project has raised confusion in the Vatican, including among the pope’s close friends, who cannot imagine Francis, whose health regularly raises concerns, embarking on such a journey three months before his 88th birthday.

Faced with these doubts, other sources report the pope’s unwavering determination. “He absolutely wants to go,” says a cardinal close to him. The Vatican has set in motion the organization of the papal trips, and preparatory visits have begun in the countries mentioned. While not officially announced, other projects are also in the works for the same month of September. As he himself had mentioned, Francis is expected to visit Belgium at the end of the month, and according to La Croix’s information, he may also make a stopover in Luxembourg.

There is another papal travel plan that could disrupt everything. Several sources have informed La Croix that Pope Francis has been invited to the United Nations General Assembly, also at the end of September, in New York – and he has accepted this invitation. This has sparked an even greater perplexity in Rome, and once again proves Pope Francis’ strong determination.