Pope Francis’ longest trip during his pontificate included a visit to Southeast Asia’s largest mosque, a symbol of religious harmony in Indonesia.
On Sept. 5, the pontiff will meet delegates of Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism, and Protestantism at Istiqlal Mosque, which was built to commemorate Indonesia’s independence.
The mosque covers over nine hectares and is just across the Catholic’s Our Lady of The Assumption Cathedral. The close proximity of the two houses of worship symbolizes how religions can peacefully coexist in Indonesia.
The mosque and the cathedral are linked by a 28.3-meter “tunnel of friendship” that was built by the government in 2020 to celebrate the tradition of interfaith harmony in the country.
Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunjamin of Bandung, president of the bishops’ conference, said the tunnel that connects the mosque and the cathedral “is significant for Indonesia as a symbol of a life in harmony and tolerance in the acceptance of differences.”
Pope Francis will visit the tunnel with the grand imam before they sign a joint declaration.
The document “has been thoroughly prepared by the religious communities between the Vatican and the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference and the Istiqlal Mosque,” said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in a local media interview.
“Amid global situations marred by conflict between countries, this spirit should be the basis for every relationship between humans and between countries,” said Retno.
Catholics make up less than 3 percent of Indonesia’s population, around eight million people, compared to the 87 percent, or 242 million, who are Muslim.
Istiqlal Mosque’s Grand Imam, Nasaruddin Umar, told The Associated Press that Pope Francis choosing Indonesia as the first stop on his Asian visit makes “the Muslim community proud.”
He added that they will use the pope’s visit “to discuss the common ground between religious communities and emphasize the commonalities among religions, ethnicities, and beliefs.”
