Pope Francis embarks on long trip, Catholic Church pivots to Asia [Video]

He is 87 years old and in recent years has battled health difficulties and begun using a wheelchair. But Pope Francis is embarking on the longest trip of his pontificate.On Monday, the pontiff starts a marathon 12-day visit of four countries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and Singapore. It is one of the longest foreign trips any pope has embarked on and marks the furthest geographical distance (32,814 kilometers or about 20,000 miles ) thatFrancis has travelled since his 2013 election.Video above: Pope Francis greets artists and inmates at Venice BiennaleThe landmark visit will allow this pope to highlight key themes of his pontificate, including inter-religious dialogue and protection of the environment.The trip also underscores a significant shift taking place inside the Catholic Church: its tilt to Asia.During his pontificate, Francis’ 44 previous foreign visits have included South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, …