Bridging faiths: Pope Francis set for interfaith talks in Indonesia

His visit to the Istiqlal Mosque and unique tunnel aims to highlight religious unity, tolerance

JAKARTA:

Pope Francis is set to visit Indonesia next week, where he will stop by Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque, which is uniquely connected to the city's Catholic cathedral by a "Tunnel of Friendship."

The 28.3-metre tunnel, built in 2020, links the iconic mosque to the Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral and symbolises religious harmony. This theme is central to the Pope's 12-day Asia-Pacific tour, which also includes visits to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.

Pope Francis, 87, will arrive in Indonesia on September 3, the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, despite concerns about his health. The trip marks the longest journey of his papacy. In Jakarta, he is scheduled to participate in an interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia's largest, and visit the still-unopened tunnel, which is adorned with windows and artwork.

Nasaruddin Umar, the mosque’s grand imam, expressed his excitement over the visit, highlighting the respect shown to the Pope. He noted that the mosque’s parking facilities are often available for churchgoers during large religious events. "Whatever your religion, let’s respect our guest," Umar said.

In Indonesia, only 3% of the 280 million population is Catholic, while nearly 90% are Muslim. Pope Francis is also expected to meet outgoing President Joko Widodo and lead a mass at a Jakarta stadium, where over 80,000 people are anticipated to attend, according to Rev. Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, an Indonesian church official.