Jakarta — The supreme leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, stole the attention of tens of thousands of Catholics when he led a grand mass at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) this afternoon (5/9). In that special moment, the Pope said one of the important prayers, namely the statement of repentance of Catholics, with the sentence “Aku Mengaku” in Indonesian.
After greeting and blessing the babies and children, the pope entered the altar at the far end of the stadium. A choir of hymns began, beginning with “Christ the King,” then continuing with “Ave Maria,” a hymn dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
The event began when Pope Francis rose from his chair and opened the mass by saying the sign of the cross in Latin, “In Nomine Patris Et Filii Et Spiritus Sancti,” followed by a shout of “Amen” from the congregation.
Next, he conveyed a peaceful greeting, “Pax Vobis,” which was warmly welcomed by the people present.
When entering the confession section, Pope Francis changed his language from Latin to Indonesian, leading the prayer by saying, “I confess…” which was immediately responded to with a loud cheer from the thousands of people.
They continued with, “To Allah Almighty, and to all of you that I have sinned….”
The Mass at GBK Stadium was only held in the athletic track area and the spectator stands. The stage for the Pope was not built on the green grass of the GBK field.
Before entering the mass location, Pope Francis had time to tour the GBK complex riding a white Maung MV3 with an open roof, greeting Catholics. Pope Francis’ historic mass at GBK was attended by 87,000 Catholics.
The Pope was previously welcomed by President Joko Widodo, National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, TNI Commander Agus Subiyanto, and Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
“I wish you a happy holy mass and may it be a blessing to others,” said President Jokowi via videotron.
President Jokowi stated that Catholics in Indonesia are an important part of the nation in efforts to maintain unity. The head of state emphasized the role of Catholics in spreading love and tolerance with other religious communities.
“Difference is wealth and tolerance is the fertilizer for our unity and peace as a nation,” he added.
Pope Francis, who has been in Indonesia since September 3, previously visited several important locations, including the Istiqlal Mosque, the Merdeka Palace, and the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference (KWI) building. The visit is scheduled to end on September 6, 2024.
This historic moment not only shows the Catholic Church’s openness to local culture, but also strengthens interfaith relations in Indonesia.
