When Pope Francis begins his Asia tour next week, one among his early stops will likely be at Indonesia’s iconic Istiqlal mosque.
The 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church will hold an interfaith meeting with representatives of the country’s six officially recognized religions because the populous Southeast Asian nation faces growing challenges to its tolerant image.
Francis, who has suffered a slew of health problems and has grow to be increasingly reliant on a wheelchair, has a rigorous schedule during his four-nation visit. He will start his trip in Jakarta on Sept. 3, where he’ll meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
In Istiqlal mosque, the Argentine Jesuit, known for promoting religious dialogue, will meet delegates of Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism. Indonesia’s structure recognizes the latter two as separate religions. About 87% of the country’s 280 million persons are Muslim, nonetheless, it has the third-largest Christian population in Asia after the Philippines and China. Only 2.9% of the entire population is Catholic.
The mosque of Istiqlal, which suggests independence in Arabic, is the most important in Southeast Asia, covering over 22 acres (9 hectares). Its name is a continuing reminder of the country’s fight against Dutch colonialists who ruled it for nearly 350 years. Across from the mosque lies the Roman Catholic neo-Gothic Our Lady of The Assumption Cathedral in Jakarta. The proximity of the 2 houses of worship is symbolic of how religions can peacefully coexist, in response to official web sites.
The mosque and cathedral are linked by an underpass generally known as the “Tunnel of Friendship,” about 28 meters (91 feet) in length and molded after a handshake gesture to symbolize religious tolerance. The pope is anticipated to walk through the tunnel.
Istiqlal mosque’s Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar told The Associated Press that Francis selecting Indonesia as the primary stop of his Asian visit makes “the Muslim community proud.” He also said they may use the pope’s visit “to debate the common ground between religious communities and emphasize the commonalities between religions, ethnicities and beliefs.”
Umar acknowledged that an “increasingly plural society” like Indonesia can face more challenges, “but we’d like to know we live together under God.”
While Indonesia’s structure guarantees freedom of faith, over the past several years, its perception as a moderate Muslim nation has been undermined by flaring intolerance, from the imprisonment of Jakarta’s Christian governor for blasphemy, which resulted in a series of protests in 2016, to the canings of gay men in Aceh, a province that practices its version of Islamic Shariah law. There were also reports of violence against religious minorities, and a few faith groups have been unable to secure constructing permits for places of worship.
Meanwhile, Cantika Syamsinur, a 23-year-old college student who had just finished praying in Istiqlal mosque and was on her method to the cathedral, said she welcomed the pope’s visit and the interfaith meeting. “There are many religions in Indonesia and I hope we respect one another.”
Francis will likely be the third pope to go to Indonesia. The trip was originally planned for 2020 but was called off due to COVID-19 pandemic.
“Four years of waiting is kind of long,” said Susyana Suwadie who heads the cathedral’s museum, adding she was overwhelmed by emotions as she awaited the pope’s visit. “This essential historic moment is finally happening.”
Some are hopeful the pope’s interreligious meeting will propel changes on a grassroots level.
Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, a Catholic Priest who can be the spokesperson for the Pope Francis Visitation Committee in Indonesia, said that religious leaders in Indonesia play a really significant role since the masses take heed to them. He said he hopes the pope’s visit “will result in something good” and advocate for a greater world where humanity and social justice are prized.
Andi Zahra Alifia Masdar, a 19-year-old college student in Jakarta, concurred: “We could be more accepting of one another, more tolerant, and capable of live side by side, not all the time clashing.”
