Pope Ends Asia-Pacific Tour Which Saw Him Deliver Masses, Medical Supplies

Pope Francis is ending his tour of the Asia-Pacific, which covered 32,000 kilometres (20,000 miles) and saw him visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore over the past 12 days. Although confined to a wheelchair for much of the time, the 87-year-old was determined to complete a schedule of over 40 events, which Vatican insiders attributed to his desire to show that he was still up to the job of leading the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. With church membership declining in the West, Asia is assuming increased strategic importance in preserving and growing the faith. Except for Singapore, which is relatively settled, the Pontiff chose to visit nations with a range of internal problems....