JAKARTA, Indonesia: On Thursday, Pope Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar delivered a powerful message of unity and peace during the final stages of the pontiff’s visit to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
This visit marks a significant moment in the papal tour across the Asia-Pacific region, emphasizing interfaith dialogue and environmental stewardship.
At Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia’s largest mosque, the Pope and the Grand Imam signed a landmark declaration urging an end to the use of religion as a tool for conflict. The declaration highlighted the troubling trend of dehumanization exacerbated by violence and conflict, often fueled by the manipulation of religious beliefs. The document emphasized that the role of religion should be to uphold and promote the dignity of every human life, reflecting a core message of unity that Pope Francis has championed throughout his trip.
In his speech before leaders of Indonesia’s six recognized religions—Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism—Pope Francis articulated a vision of global brotherhood. He urged that despite religious differences, all individuals are on a shared journey toward a higher spiritual truth. The Pope’s message was received warmly, with the mosque’s percussion band and religious recitations from both the Koran and the Bible symbolizing the spirit of cooperation and mutual respect.
The declaration also addressed the pressing issue of climate change, calling for “decisive action” to combat global warming. It highlighted how human exploitation of natural resources has contributed to environmental degradation, including natural disasters and erratic weather patterns. This emphasis on environmental responsibility aligns with the Pope’s broader advocacy for ecological sustainability, as seen in his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’.
Pope Francis’s visit to Indonesia is historically significant, being only the third papal visit to the country and the first since Pope John Paul II’s trip in 1989. Despite Catholics constituting less than three percent of Indonesia’s population, the pontiff’s presence has been met with enthusiastic support from the local Christian community. As part of the visit’s culmination, Pope Francis is scheduled to celebrate a mass at Indonesia’s main football stadium, drawing an expected crowd of nearly 80,000 people, with many more gathered outside.
The visit also marks a critical point in Pope Francis’s 12-day tour, which has tested his health but remains a testament to his dedication to global interfaith dialogue and environmental advocacy. Following his Indonesian leg, the Pope will continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore, in what is described as the longest tour of his papacy. Accompanied by his personal doctor and two nurses, the pontiff’s rigorous schedule underscores his commitment to fostering international peace and cooperation.
