On Thursday (September 5, 2024), the third day of his Apostolic journey, His Holiness Pope Francis was scheduled to visit the Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta. Istiqlal Mosque is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia.
Upon his arrival at the mosque, Pope Francis was warmly welcomed by a crowd eager to meet him and see him up close.
Upon arriving at the courtyard of Istiqlal Mosque, the Grand Imam, Prof. Nasaruddin Umar, greeted the Supreme Leader of the Catholic Church. Religious leaders from the Islamic community and other interfaith representatives were also present to meet with Pope Francis at Istiqlal Mosque.
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Peace Charter and Tunnel of Tolerance
Pope Francis’ visit to Istiqlal Mosque was part of his Apostolic journey and aimed at attending an Interreligious Meeting. Before the meeting, Pope Francis signed a peace charter at the mosque and inaugurated the Tunnel of Peace, which connects Istiqlal Mosque to Jakarta Cathedral.
The Interreligious Meeting was attended by prominent figures, including the Chairman of the Indonesian Mosque Council, Jusuf Kalla; Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, the wife of Indonesia's 4th President, Abdurrahman Wahid; chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama Ahmad Fahrur Rozi and Ulil Abshar; Vice Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council Marsudi Suhud; General Secretary of Muhammadiyah Abdul Mu’ti; and other notable figures such as Quraish Shihab and Yenny Wahid.
Several government officials were also present, including the Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Budi Arie Setiadi; Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani; Minister of Investment, Rosan Roeslani; Deputy Finance Minister, Thomas Djiwandono; and Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Saiful Rahmat Dasuki.
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Interreligious Meeting
During the Interreligious Meeting, the first speech was delivered by the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, who emphasized that people of faith long for a life filled with peace, tranquility, and harmony.
However, the reality is quite different, with many still suffering from ongoing conflicts and crises. Additionally, climate change poses a serious environmental threat to our lives.
Imam Nasaruddin Umar noted that this Interreligious Meeting, attended by religious leaders, is a crucial moment to address the humanitarian challenges and environmental threats facing the world today.
Pope Francis also had the opportunity to address the audience. He encouraged everyone to foster spirituality and practice their respective faiths. He emphasized that practicing one’s faith is a valuable contribution to building a more open and respectful society, one that embraces kindness and mutual respect while protecting against the dangers of fundamentalism and extremism, which are harmful and unjustifiable.
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Pope's Message
In his speech, Pope Francis delivered two key messages during the Interreligious Meeting. First, he urged people to always seek a deeper understanding of everything because only through this can we find common ground behind every difference.
Second, His Holiness called on everyone to maintain the connection established by the Tunnel of Peace, which links the mosque and the cathedral, symbolizing the bond between two distinct and distant places.
Pope Francis invited everyone to strengthen interfaith harmony, uphold humanity, and take responsibility for facing the crises threatening the future of humankind, especially ongoing wars and conflicts.
At the end of his speech, His Holiness urged the people of Indonesia not to waste the precious gifts their nation possesses. He expressed hope that the youth would avoid falling into the traps of fundamentalism.
Pope Francis extended his heartfelt gratitude for the warm hospitality shown by the people and encouraged everyone to hold firmly to the spirit of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), reminding that while we may be different, we are all united as one.
