Pope Francis departs from Papua New Guinea

By Joseph Tulloch

Pope Francis has left Papua New Guinea and is en route to Dili, Timor Leste.

The Pope’s plane left Port Moresby’s Jacksons International airport at 12.12, and he is expected in Dili at some time after 14:00 local time. 

Before departure, the Pope held a final meeting with James Marade, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, whom he had seen on a number of occasions since arriving in the country on Friday evening.

Pope Francis is now at the half-way point of his Apostolic Journey to southeast Asia and Oceania: he has completed his visits to Indonesia and PNG, with stops in Timor Leste and Indonesia still to come.

Schedule for Timor-Leste

Once the Pope arrives in Timor-Leste, his first event will be a welcome ceremony outside the Presidential Palace, scheduled for around 6pm. Following this, at 6:30, the Pope will have a courtesy visit with the President of the Republic at the Presidential Palace. Then, at 7:00 PM, the Pope will meet with government authorities, members of civil society, and the diplomatic corps in the Presidential Palace Hall, where he will deliver an address.

On Tuesday morning, the Pope will visit children with disabilities at the Irmãs Alma School. At 9:30 AM, the Pope will meet with bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated persons, seminarians, and catechists at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where he will give an address. Later, at 10:45 AM, he will have a private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus at the Apostolic Nunciature. The day will conclude with Mass at 4:30 PM at the Esplanade of Taci Tolu. Then, the next morning, the Pope will leave for Singapore.