Francis will be only the second pope to visit Singapore, one of the wealthiest nations

SINGAPORE (AP) — When Pope Francis arrives Wednesday in Asia’s financial powerhouse Singapore for the last leg of a four-nation tour, he is expected to bring his message of unity and hope to one of the world’s richest nations.

The 11-day trip, which earlier took him to Indonesia,Papua New Guinea and East Timor, is the longest for the 87-year-old pontiff since becoming head of the Catholic Church in 2013. Francis will be the second pope to visit Singapore, after a five-hour stopover by the late John Paul II in 1986.

Here’s what to know about Pope Francis' three-day stay in Singapore:

Singapore was originally part of Francis’ travel plans to the region in 2020 but it was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The island city-state at the tip of the Malay peninsula has a small population of just under 6 million people and lacks natural resources, but it is a heavyweight in regional and international affairs. Astute leadership, its strategic location and reputation as one of the most open and least corrupt economies had transformed Singapore into a bustling financial giant and maritime and aviation hubs in just 59 years after independence.

Singapore is a strategic U.S. partner but also maintains close ties with China. Ethnic Chinese account for about three-quarters of its residents followed by minority Muslims and Indians.

According to a 2020 Singapore population census, Buddhists make up about 31%. About a fifth of the population claimed no religious belief, while Christians account for almost 19% and Muslims about 15%.

Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil, reflecting its multicultural identity and heritage.

“Singapore and the Holy See share a common interest in promoting interfaith dialogue and understanding. Pope Francis’ state visit is also the first papal visit to Singapore in almost 40 years,” Singapore’s Foreign Ministry said.

In a city ranked as one of the most expensive to live in, Singapore’s Cardinal WIlliam Goh said that key themes frequently emphasised by Francis such as human dignity, inclusiveness, interreligious dialogue, family values, the need to manage artificial intelligence responsibly and care for the environment were of particular relevance.

“As such, Pope Francis’ visit is highly anticipated and warmly welcomed not only by the Catholic faithful, but also by the wider society.” Goh said in a written response to The Associated Press. “After the apostolic visit is done, I pray that Singapore will be filled with hope — a profound, divine hope.”

After flying in from Dili, East Timor, on Wednesday, Pope Francis will hold a private meeting with members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).

On Thursday, he will receive an official welcome at Parliament House and meet Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam. He will also meet government officials, civil society and the diplomatic corps at the National University of Singapore.

The highlight will be a public Mass at the 55,000-seat National Stadium in the evening. Those attending include Catholics from neighboring Malaysia and Brunei. Francis will make a tour around the stadium pitch to greet the faithful in his Popemobile before delivering his homily.

On the last day, Francis will visit elderly residents at the St Theresa’s Home. He will also hold an interreligious meeting with youths at the Catholic Junior College.

The church marked 200 years in Singapore in 2021. The Archdiocese of Singapore was formed in 1972, seven years after Singapore's independence. Diplomatic relations with the Holy See were established in 1981.

In Singapore’s early years, Cardinal Goh said the church’s work in education and health care were important contributors to national development.

“Many of the country’s top leaders in both the public and private spheres were formed in Catholic schools; and many basic health care needs were provided by Church-run health care institutions,” he wrote on the Vatican News website.

The church supports 395,000 Catholics in Singapore with its 29 parish churches, three devotional churches, 53 schools, 47 humanitarian organizations and two health care institutions. Goh said the church holds frequent dialogue with the government, which views it as an important contributor and shaper of Singapore's social fabric.

Goh, Singapore's first cardinal installed by Francis in 2022, is a member of two Presidential Councils that advise the government on matters relating to racial and religious harmony and minority rights.

“As the final stop on this apostolic journey, Singapore stands as a testament to peaceful coexistence in a modern, multicultural, and multi-religious society," Goh wrote in his reply to the AP. "This reflects the spirit of unity and diversity that Pope Francis has emphasized throughout his pontification.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

A general view of the city skyline in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

A pedestrian walks along the pavement outside Parliament House, where Pope Francis is scheduled to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

A man cycles past a life size dinosaur replica along the Changi Jurassic Mile in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

A cyclist takes photo of the city skyline in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

People take photos at Merlion Park in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

People walk outside Parliament House complex, where Pope Francis is scheduled to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

A general view of the 55,000-seat National Stadium which will be the venue for a public mass lead by Pope Francis in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

A general view of the 55,000-seat National Stadium which will be the venue for a public mass lead by Pope Francis in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

A woman jogs along the promenade of the National Stadium in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

People walk past past a life size dinosaur replica along the Changi Jurassic Mile in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

Anti-crash vehicle barriers are seen installed along the pavement outside Parliament House, where Pope Francis is scheduled to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

An event notice is seen outside the National Stadium ahead of the visit of Pope Francis in Singapore, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

People take photos at Merlion Park in Singapore, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Suhaimi Abdullah)

AVIGNON, France (AP) — A man accused of drugging his then-wife and inviting dozens of men to rape her over nearly a decade is testifying in court on Tuesday in southern France, in a case that has shocked the country.

Dominique Pélicot, now 71, faces 20 years in prison if convicted. While he previously confessed to investigators, the court testimony will be crucial for the panel of judges to decide on the fate of some 50 other men standing trial next to him, all accused of raping Gisèle Pélicot.

Many also hope his testimony will shed some light — to try to understand the unthinkable.

Gisèle Pélicot, who has become a symbol of the fight against sexual violence in France for agreeing to waive her anonymity in the case and let the trial be public, is expected to speak in court after her ex-husband's testimony on Tuesday.

Bernadette Tessonière, a 69-year-old retiree who lives a half-hour drive from Avignon, where the trial is taking place, arrived outside the courthouse at 7:15 a.m. to make sure she would secure a seat in the closely watched case.

“How is it possible that in 50 years of communal life, one can live next to someone who hides his life so well? This is scary,” she said, while standing in a line outside the courthouse. “I don’t have much hope that what he did can be explained, but he is at least going to give some elements.”

Pélicot’s much-awaited testimony was delayed by days after he fell ill, suffering from a kidney stone and urinary infection, his lawyers said.

A security agent caught Pélicot in 2020 taking videos under women’s skirts in a supermarket, according to court documents. Police searched Pélicot's house and electronic devices, and found thousands of photos and videos of men engaging in sexual acts with Gisèle Pélicot while she appears to lie unconscious on their bed.

With the recordings, police were able to track down a majority of the 72 suspects they were seeking.

She and her husband of 50 years had three children. When they retired, the couple left the Paris region to move into a house in Mazan, a small town in Provence.

When police officers called her in for questioning in late 2020, she initially told them her husband was “a great guy,'' according to legal documents. They then showed her some photos. She left her husband and they are now divorced.

Besides Pélicot, 50 other men, aged 26 to 74, are standing trial. Many deny having raped Pélicot, saying they were manipulated by her ex-husband or claiming they believed she was consenting.

FILE - Gisele Pelicot speaks to media as she leaves the Avignon court house, southern France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)

FILE - Gisele Pelicot, left, arrives in the Avignon court house, in Avignon, southern France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)

FILE - Gisele Pelicot, left, arrives in the Avignon court house, in Avignon, southern France, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)