San Francisco Frontiers - At 87, pope defies expectations with epic voyage

The pontiff's 12-day trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore starting next week involves 43 hours of flight time and a distance of 32,000 kilometres (almost 20,000 miles).

It would be something of an odyssey for anyone, but particularly for someone who has been plagued in recent years by health issues, sparking speculation he might step down as head of the Catholic Church.

The trip was originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the Covid pandemic, and now takes place just three months before his 88th birthday.

Weeks ago few observers thought Francis was capable of such a gruelling voyage, with the corridors of the Vatican buzzing with concerns over his health.

At Easter, the holiest week in the Christian calendar, Francis withdrew from several events, weakened by a lingering flu.

Months earlier, bronchitis caused him to cancel a trip to United Nations climate talks in Dubai in December.

In June 2023, he also underwent hernia surgery that left him hospitalised for 10 days.

Now some are wondering: is it reasonable for the octogenarian to keep up the frantic pace, with 16 speeches and countless meetings and ceremonies scheduled across four countries?

"The pope still believes that we need to push a little further," a senior Vatican diplomat told AFP.

"He feels capable of making this trip this year. Next year, it will be less certain."

- Thrives on contact -

Former pope Benedict XVI in 2013 became the first since the Middle Ages to step down, citing his declining physical and mental health -- and Francis has left the door open to following suit.

But the Argentine Jesuit has repeatedly stressed that he is not there yet and views travelling as particularly important, a cornerstone of his ministry that prioritises spreading the faith.

With this 45th trip abroad, Francis returns to his love as a pastor among his flock, far from the bureaucracy of the Vatican and close to ordinary people, who seem to give him energy and momentum.

The constraints linked to his health are nevertheless real.

The pope's mobility has visibly declined in recent years. Since 2022, he has relied on a wheelchair for knee pain and recurring sciatica, or nerve pain.

Now unable to climb a flight of stairs, Francis has to use an elevator to board his plane. He also now sits, rather than stands, during the press conferences he holds on the return flight of each voyage.

Although the pope always travels with his personal doctor and a nurse, no "new features" have been ordered for this particular trip, according to a Vatican source.

"His general condition is good, there were no concerns this summer," said the source.

The Vatican has provided no details on any precautions taken for the pope's health, such as possible arrangements made with local hospitals.

During Francis' trip to Africa early in 2023, a fully equipped ambulance followed the pope everywhere, ready to intervene if necessary.

- 'Strength of spirit' -

Within the Vatican, the pope's willingness to make the trip has aroused "admiration", a Vatican source told AFP.

At the same time, the source said, it has stirred "concern, and even a certain annoyance at the pope's relentlessness, which puts his health and security services on edge".

For Andrea Ungar, president of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, "this trip demonstrates once again the pope's strength of spirit and shows how, despite age, things can still be done."

"Strong motivation gives incredible energy," Ungar said, adding that the pope was a "great example" for older people to remain active.

"The more you stand still, the more you stay still," he said.

Little chance of standing still for Francis, who will have less than two weeks at home after his long journey before setting off again, this time for a four-day trip to Luxembourg and Belgium starting on September 26.

October will be devoted to the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to determine the future path and priorities of the global Catholic Church.

In December, Francis will kick off the 2025 Jubilee, a year-long pilgrimage event in which some 32 million faithful are expected in Rome.

V.Mitchell--SFF