The Vatican has confirmed Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia later this year, and the Indonesian government has said that the country will be the first destination in the apostolic journey to the Asia Pacific region.
The anticipated 11-day international trip, scheduled for 2-13 September, will be the longest of the 87-year-old Pope’s pontificate. Following his visit to Indonesia, Pope Francis will travel to Papua New Guinea for 6-9 September and East Timor for 9-11 September, concluding his journey in Singapore on 11–13 September.
Following an official invitation of President Joko Widodo on 25 March, an official statement from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: “The visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia holds significant importance to the Indonesian people, not only for Catholics but also for all religious communities. The visit is also expected to strengthen the message of tolerance, unity, and world peace.”
The Catholic Church is currently the third-largest religious community in the country, with approximately 8.5 million members who account for three per cent of the country’s total population.
Although Indonesia does not have an established state religion, 87 per cent of the population is Muslim, making it the most populous Muslim country in the world. Catholicism is one of six official religions recognised in the country alongside Islam, Protestantism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Buddhism.
Following the announcement of the Pope’s visit , Cardinal Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo, Archbishop of Jakarta and president of the Indonesian Catholic bishops’ conference, emphasised the importance of building religious tolerance, peace, and unity – particularly between Christians and Muslims – within the country.
“The national mosque, called Istiqlal, meaning liberty, or freedom, lies just in front of the Catholic cathedral in Jakarta,” Hardjoatmodjo said. “The national mosque was intentionally built at this site as a symbol of harmony.”
Benedictus Nuwa, an Indonesian Claretian missionary studying interreligious dialogue at the Angelicum in Rome, said Pope Francis’ visit to his country would bring a “message of peace, social justice, freedom of religion, and worship” and be key in strengthening the “relationship and dialogue between Catholics and Muslims”.
Though Nuwa expressed pride in the ethnic and religious diversity present in his country, he also voiced concern about the discrimination and persecution against minorities occurring in parts of the country.
“There are still groups that are intolerant to differences,” he said. “The Indonesian people in general and the government in particular must not close their eyes to these facts.”
Pope Francis’ visit will be the third papal journey to Indonesia, after Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989.
Loading ...
