Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is part of the delegation of Pope Francis’ 12-day apostolic journey in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

Pope Francis will start his Apostolic Journey to Jakarta, Indonesia, then to Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.

In an interview with Vatican News, Tagle said Pope Francis was supposed to visit Asia and Oceania early 2020, but Covid-19 “put a stop to everything.”

“I was very surprised that the Holy Father once again took up the project. It is a sign of his paternal closeness to what he calls‘ existential peripheries’,” Tagle said.

Tagle called Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey as “an act of humility before the Lord” and in “obedience to the mission.”

“Truly, I am younger than the Pope, and these long journeys are heavy even for me. For him, embracing this effort is an act of humility, too,” Tagle said.

“It's not a show to portray what one is still capable of. As a witness, I call it an act of humility before the Lord who calls us: an act of humility and obedience to the mission,” he added.

The pontiff arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday, 3 September, to begin his ambitious four-country Asia-Pacific tour. He will be there until Friday, 6 September.

The Pope will visit Papua New Guinea from 6 to 9 September; Timor-Leste from 9 to 11 September; and Singapore from 11 to 13 September.

The 87-year-old Pope visited the Philippines in 2015.