Over 23,000 people tracked flight AZ4000 of ITA Airways, which carried Pope Francis from Rome to Jakarta, Indonesia, on Sept. 3, according to FlightRadar24.
FlightRadar24 is a global flight tracking service that provides real-time information about thousands of aircraft around the world.
Pope Francis arrived at 11:19 AM local time at the Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. The Papal flight left Rome on Monday afternoon and reached Jakarta after over 13 hours.
The pontiff’s arrival in Indonesia marked the first leg of his 10-day visit to Asia and Oceania, where he is expected to advance the call for climate justice. Pope Francis will also visit Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and Singapore.
Fr. Stanislaus Ferry Sutrisna Wijaya, founder of Eco Camp in the Diocese of Bandung, said Pope Francis’ visit to the country “is an inspiration” for the people who are working to protect the environment.
“I hope the visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia will really strengthen our effort to take care of the only earth for all of us,” he said.
The Pope is scheduled to rest all day Tuesday after the long flight from Rome to the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. He is set to meet President Joko Widodo on Wednesday.
Olga Lydia, Indonesia’s top fashion model and a devout Catholic, expressed hope that the Pope’s visit to the country will serve as “a beacon that spreads throughout the world.”
“What is interesting about Pope Francis’ visit this time is that he will not only visit the Jakarta Cathedral church but also visit the Istiqlal Mosque. And there, he will sign a declaration with the high priest of the Istiqlal Mosque,” she said.
“Hopefully, this can be a symbol of brotherly peace in humanity,” she added.
Lydia emphasized that she views Pope Francis’ encyclical on caring for our common home as a reminder for everyone to consistently care for the world, through both large and small collective actions.
“We must not let our desire for material things become excessive, and we must also remember to share,” she said. “My favorite Pope is the humble one, the Pope who always reminds us to care for the marginalized and the poor.”
