Pope Francis (C) poses with Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar (L) for a family photo at the end of the interreligious meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday. Photo by Alessandro Meo/EPA-EFE
Pope Francis and one of Indonesia’s most prominent Muslim imams called for peace and religious harmony Thursday during the pontiff’s final day in the country.
The pope met with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar and the local leaders of six other religions at the country’s largest mosque, the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta. Advertisement
“We are all brothers, all pilgrims, all on our way to God, beyond what differentiates us,” Francis told the gathering.
The pope and imam met at a tunnel that connected the mosque with one of the main Catholic cathedrals across the street. Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim majority in the world, has 3% Catholic population.
The two religious leaders signed a statement that highlighted the importance of values common to all religious traditions to promote an effort to “defeat the culture of violence and indifference.” The so-called “Joint Declaration of Istiqlal” also called for promoting reconciliation and peace.
“The one root common to all religious sensitivities: the quest for an encounter with the divine, the thirst for the infinite that the Almighty has placed in our hearts, the search for a greater joy and a life stronger than any type of death, which animates the journey of our lives and impels us to step out of ourselves to encounter God,”Francis said. Advertisement
Francis said the world is divided by war, political conflict, and global warming, but he believes there is a way to maintain friendship and harmony.
The pope then celebrated mass at the country’s largest soccer stadium in front of an anticipated 80,000.
