Pope Francis landed in Papua New Guinea on Friday evening, continuing his 12-day tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania. The 87-year-old pontiff arrived from Indonesia aboard a Garuda Indonesia plane and was welcomed at Port Moresby Airport by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and senior Catholic Church officials.
Upon arrival, Pope Francis, who used a wheelchair to disembark, was greeted by local children offering gifts while a military band played the Vatican anthem. Following a brief ceremony, the pope proceeded to the Vatican embassy for the evening. His first public engagement in Papua New Guinea is scheduled for Saturday morning, when he will address political leaders.
