Pope Francis is set to embark on a significant 12-day Asia-Pacific tour next week, with his first stop in Indonesia spotlighting the country's efforts to promote religious harmony, according to Reuters.
The 87-year-old pontiff's visit to the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation will feature a stop at Jakarta's Istiqlal mosque, Southeast Asia's largest, which boasts an unusual architectural feature – a 28.3-meter "Tunnel of Friendship" connecting it to the nearby Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral.
When Pope Francis visits #Indonesia next week, he'll stop by the iconic Istiqlal mosque in #Jakarta that has an unusual feature - a 28.3m "Tunnel of Friendship" connecting it to the city's Catholic cathedral across the road! ?????♀️??♂️⛪️#WonderfulIndonesia #WonderfulJourney pic.twitter.com/4hXw1iCWOq
— Wonderful Indonesia (@wonderfulid) September 1, 2024
"It's extraordinary that the Catholics' number one figure is coming," said Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam of the Istiqlal mosque. "Whatever your religion is, let's respect our guest."
The tunnel, constructed by the Indonesian government in 2020, serves as a symbol of interfaith cooperation, a theme that has been central to Pope Francis's 11-year papacy. During his visit, the Pope is scheduled to participate in an interfaith meeting at the mosque and tour the tunnel, which features illuminated windows and inscribed art on its walls.
Indonesia, where nearly 90% of the 280 million population identifies as Muslim and only about 3% as Catholic, has not hosted a papal visit in more than three decades. The pontiff's upcoming trip has generated excitement among the country's Catholic community.
"If I could meet him, I could only bow before him. I couldn't even bring myself to hold his hand," said Maria Regina Widyastuti Sasongko, a 77-year-old Catholic woman who sells Pope Francis-themed merchandise.
The Pope's itinerary includes a meeting with outgoing President Joko Widodo and a mass at a Jakarta stadium expected to draw more than 80,000 attendees, according to Rev Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, an Indonesian church official.
Following his stop in Indonesia, Pope Francis will continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore.
