The Vatican confirmed the Sept 2-13 visit, saying the 87-year-old pope would visit Jakarta, Indonesia; Port Moresby and Vanimo, Papua New Guinea; Dili, East Timor; and Singapore. Further details will be announced later.

Francis' health has become a source of increasing concern and speculation, even though the pontiff can carry on with a rigorous schedule of meetings at the Vatican and even excursions to local parishes.

Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, had to cancel a planned visit to Dubai late last year after he came down with a bad case of bronchitis.

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It will be his first trip since major intestinal surgery - a schedule issued on Wednesday showed.

The schedule for the Sept. 12-15 trip is as gruelling as for past travels, indicating that he and his doctors are confident that he will be able to handle the load.

The 84-year-old Francis underwent surgery to remove part of his colon on July 4 and spent 11 days in hospital, his first hospitalisation since his election as pope in 2013.

Most of the trip will be in Slovakia, where he will visit the capital Bratislava, as well as Kosice, Presov and Sastin.

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