Pope Francis Reminds World He Can Still Draw A Crowd

September 15, 2024 6:13 am

DILI, East Timor (AP) — Pope Francis’ longest and farthest trip has proven that despite his age, ailments and eight hours of jet lag, Pope Francis can still pull off an ambitious trip to Asia. That’s especially true when he’s in his element: in the peripheries of the world, among people forgotten by the big powers, where he can go off-script to respond to the spirit of the moment. It was a trip that he had originally wanted to make in 2020 but COVID-19 intervened. Four years and a handful of hospitalizations later, Francis finally pulled it off.