Pope Francis begins his Asia tour next week, with one of his first stops being Indonesia's iconic Istiqlal Mosque.
The 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church is due to hold an interreligious meeting with representatives of the country's six officially recognised religions as the populous Southeast Asian nation faces a challenge to its image of tolerance.
Pope Francis, who has numerous health problems that have left him increasingly wheelchair-bound, has a packed schedule during his four-nation trip, which begins in Jakarta on Sept. 3, where he is scheduled to meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
At the Istiqlal Mosque, Argentine Jesuits known for promoting interreligious dialogue will meet with representatives of Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism, the latter two of which are recognized as separate religions in Indonesia's constitution. About 87 percent of Indonesia's 280 million people are Muslim, but it has the third-largest Christian population in Asia after the Philippines and China. Just 2.9 percent of the total population is Catholic.
Istiqlal Mosque, meaning independence in Arabic, is the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, spanning over 22 acres (9 hectares). Its name is a constant reminder of the country's struggle against the Dutch colonialists who ruled the country for nearly 350 years.
The mosque is opposite Jakarta's Roman Catholic neo-Gothic Assumption Cathedral, and the proximity of the two houses of worship is a symbol of the peaceful coexistence of religions, according to its official website.
The mosque and the cathedral are linked by an underground passage called the “Tunnel of Friendship,” which is about 28 meters (91 feet) long and resembles a handshake to symbolize religious tolerance, and through which the pope is scheduled to walk.
Nasaruddin Umar, grand imam of Istiqlal Mosque, told The Associated Press that the pope's choice of Indonesia as the first stop in his Asian tour was “a source of pride for the Muslim community,” and that he intended to use the visit as an opportunity to “discuss commonalities between religious communities and highlight commonalities between religions, ethnicities and faiths.”
Umar acknowledged that an “increasingly pluralistic society” like Indonesia may face more challenges, “but we need to know that we live together under God.”
Indonesia's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but in the past few years, growing intolerance has tarnished Indonesia's image as a moderate Islamic state, including the jailing of Jakarta's Christian governor on blasphemy charges, a series of protests in 2016, and the flogging of a gay man in Aceh province, which enforces its own version of Islamic Sharia law. There have also been reports of violence against religious minorities, and some religious groups have been unable to obtain building permits for places of worship.
Meanwhile, Kantika Syamsinur, a 23-year-old university student who was on her way to the cathedral after prayers at Istiqlal Mosque, said she welcomed the pope's visit and the interreligious meeting. “There are many religions in Indonesia and I hope we can respect each other.”
Francis will be the third pope to visit Indonesia, a trip originally planned for 2020 but canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Four years is a long time to wait,” said Susiana Suwadi, the cathedral's museum director, adding that she had grown emotional waiting for the pope's visit. “This important historical moment is finally coming.”
Some hope the pope's interreligious meeting will drive change at the grassroots level.
Catholic priest Tomas Ulun Ismoyo, who is also spokesman for the Indonesian committee for the visit of Pope Francis, said religious leaders play a key role in Indonesia to ensure the public listens to them. He said he hoped the pope's visit “will bring about something good” and advocate for a better world where humanity and social justice are respected.
Andi Zahra Arifiah Masdar, a 19-year-old university student from Jakarta, agreed: “We should be more accepting of each other, more tolerant and be able to live side by side instead of always clashing.”
