Carrying a Humanitarian Mission, Pope Francis Visits Istiqlal Mosque and Holds Grand Mass at GBK Jakarta

Jakarta – The spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, appreciates the high tolerance and mutual respect between religious communities in Indonesia. The Holy Father of Catholics, Pope Francis, praised the diversity in Indonesia. In his historic visit, Pope Francis demonstrated his commitment to tolerance among religious communities in the world by visiting the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. His visit to the largest mosque in Southeast Asia is a symbol of closeness between religious communities in the world and has a major impact on harmony among people in the world. Pope Francis’ arrival in Indonesia was greeted with enthusiasm by thousands of Catholics and the general public. During his visit to the Istiqlal Mosque, Pope Francis was received by the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, Prof. Dr. KH. Nasaruddin Umar, as well as several other community and religious figures. This meeting is an important symbol of interfaith dialogue and cooperation efforts, underlining the message of tolerance and respect amidst diversity. Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar said Pope Francis visited the tolerance tunnel connecting the Cathedral Church and the Istiqlal Mosque. Nasaruddin Umar asked Pope Francis to be a witness to the function of the tunnel of friendship connecting the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral Church. “We ask that Your Holiness be a witness to the function of this tunnel,” said Nasaruddin at the Istiqlal Mosque. Pope Francis also appreciated the Tunnel of Friendship connecting the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral Church. The Pope congratulated all parties because this tunnel will be a place for dialogue between religious communities, unlike the image of a tunnel as a dark corridor. “We believers from different religious traditions have a task to do, (namely) to help everyone to pass through this tunnel with their eyes directed towards the light,” said the Argentine Pope. One of the agendas of the visit was the signing of a joint declaration by the two religious figures. The title of the declaration is the Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024: Strengthening Religious Harmony for Humanity. The Chairman of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI), Monsignor Antonius Bunjamin Subianto, said that there are two points that will be emphasized in the declaration, namely dehumination and the environment. Meanwhile, on Thursday afternoon, Pope Francis will lead a Grand Mass at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, which will be attended by around 86 thousand guests. The Mass will involve a number of parties from all over Indonesia. In the Grand Mass, the Pope touched on peace, tolerance between religious communities and diversity in Indonesia. “Indonesia can be an example for all of that. There is tolerance, mutual respect between religious communities and a great diversity,” said Pope Francis.The Grand Mass at GBK Jakarta will bring a message for everyone in the world not to put their egos first, but to appreciate and respect each other amidst the differences in the world.