Minister Of Religion Yaqut Cholil Ordered By Jokowi To Welcome Pope Francis At Soetta Airport

Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the Vatican City Head of State, as well as the Supreme Leader of the Catholic Church throughout the World, Sri Pope Francis, who arrived this Tuesday, would be greeted by Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas at Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

"Not (picking up), Mr. Minister of Religion. I will accompany you tomorrow at the meeting," said Foreign Minister Retno when met at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Tuesday, September 3.

The Foreign Minister said that he would accompany President Joko Widodo during a state visit of Sri Pope Francis at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta along with a meeting with the diplomatic corps at the State Palace, Jakarta on Wednesday, September 4.

In line with that, Jakarta Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo said he and the Chief Executive Committee for the Visit of Pope Francis' Holy Father, Ignasius Jonan, would also go to Soekarno-Hatta Airport to welcome the arrival of Sri Pope Francis.

Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia on Tuesday afternoon at around 11.30 WIB via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, Banten.

"(Welcoming) a group from the Vatican, then Mr. Minister, we will now go to the airport to welcome it," said Ignatius Suharyo.

He said that preparations for Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia on September 3-6, 2024 had been well planned, and only had to implement it according to the guidebook.

Suharyo also welcomed Pope Francis' Holy Father in Jakarta.

"We just want to say welcome to Jakarta, welcome, hopefully everything will go well," said Suharyo hoped.