Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia to begin ambitious Asia-Pacific tour

FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis arrives to board the papal plane ahead of his apostolic visit to Asia, at Fiumicino airport in Rome, Italy, September 2, 2024. REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Dozens of excited Indonesians waved on Tuesday as a motorcade carried Pope Francis through the capital as he began the first leg of an ambitious Asia-Pacific tour expected to urge global action on climate change as part of his longest trip yet.

The 87-year-old pontiff, who will also visit East Timor, Singapore and Papua New Guinea over the next 10 days, was seated in a wheelchair as a lift disembarked him from a chartered aircraft at Jakarta airport.