Pope Francis signed a joint document with the Grand Imam of Jakarta on Thursday, September 5, calling for action against the religious exploitation of conflicts and global warming. He then presided over a giant mass in a stadium with a capacity of 80,000 people, the highlight of the first leg of his tour of Asia and the Pacific.
During an interfaith meeting in front of the Istiqlal mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, the head of the Catholic Church and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar expressed his concern about the “dehumanization” linked to the “Generalization of conflicts and violence” and called to “take decisive action to preserve the integrity of the natural environment and its resources”.
The meeting, attended by representatives of the six officially recognised religions in the country (Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism), is one of the highlights of the Pope’s three-day visit to Jakarta, which is subject to tight security measures as part of a tour of Asia and Oceania, the longest and most distant trip since his election in 2013.
A Pope in good shape
Despite a hectic pace, the 87-year-old pontiff has appeared smiling and in good shape since his arrival on Tuesday: joking happily with the faithful, he did not seem bothered by the humid heat of Jakarta, nor by the numerous requests, nor by jet lag, even enjoying several walks.
Opened in 1978, the Istiqlal Mosque, which authorities say can accommodate up to 250,000 worshippers, is next to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. The two buildings are connected by a thirty-metre “friendship tunnel” built in 2020, a symbol of religious brotherhood. “To the many signs of threat, to the dark times, let us oppose the sign of brotherhood”declared the Pope in front of the tunnel.
To the sound of traditional chants and drums, Francis was welcomed in a joyous atmosphere under a large tent set up near the mosque, but he did not enter the prayer hall, as hundreds of people crowded behind the surrounding barriers. After attending the chanted recitation of a passage from the Koran and then the reading of a passage from the Gospel, he signed the “Istiqlal Declaration” with representatives of other religions. This document adds to the steps taken by Francis to develop dialogue with other religions: he has travelled several times to predominantly Muslim countries and signed in 2019 in Abu Dhabi a document on human fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
“We have two big messages. The first is that (…) Humanity is one, there are no colors. And the second, how to save our environment.said Jakarta Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar to Agence France-Presse.
The vast archipelago of 17,500 islands is home to the world’s largest Muslim population (242 million, or 87% of the inhabitants), compared with some eight million Catholics (less than 3%).
Jakarta against Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore
In the morning, Francis met with poor people supported by charities at the headquarters of the Indonesian bishops’ conference.
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In the afternoon, in one of the highlights of his communion with the Indonesian faithful, he will preside over an open-air high mass at the Gelora Bung Karno national stadium, in front of 80,000 people, while many more are expected to attend the ceremony outside the stadium.
After Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989, Francis is the third Pope to visit the country, whose capital has put his image in the foreground, with Vatican flags and welcome signs.
This visit is part of a marathon tour of four countries in South-East Asia and Oceania, initially planned for 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic: François, who will leave Jakarta on Friday morning, is then expected in Papua New Guinea, then in East Timor and Singapore, where he will complete a 32,000-kilometre journey on 13 September.
This 45th trip abroad is a major physical challenge for the Argentine Jesuit, who uses a wheelchair but often seems revitalized by travel and contact with the faithful.
