Pope asks Indonesians to maintain harmony among religious communities
Jakarta, Sept 5 (ANTARA) - Pope Francis delivered two important messages to the Indonesian people to maintain harmony between religious communities in the country.
"First, always look at something deeply because only there can you find what is the similarity in a difference," the Pope remarked during a meeting with interfaith figures at Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Thursday.
Pope Francis expressed his opinion by alluding to the "Silaturahmi Tunnel," or the Tunnel of Friendship, connecting Istiqlal Mosque and Jakarta Cathedral.
According to the Pope, the tunnel is underneath, which means it is hidden and not visible, akin to roots. However, the tunnel leads to a place where religion and divinity can be found.
With the presence of various religious communities passing through it, the Pope said this is an effort from each community to look deeply into the process of finding their God.
"Look deeply, understand what flows in our lives, the desires that reside in our hearts, then we will find that all brothers have a place in our hearts. We are pilgrims on the journey towards God," he remarked.
Pope Francis' second message was to maintain the bond between religious communities. He again illustrated it with the Silaturahmi Tunnel, which was built to connect one side to the other that are different.
He noted that in bringing different religions and beliefs in the world closer together, people sometimes attempt to find common ground between doctrines and confessions between religions in the world.
"However, the reality can divide us because the doctrines and confessions of each religion are different. What really brings us closer is by creating different relationships between us, by always maintaining bonds of friendship," he remarked.
Pope Francis emphasized that this was a true relationship, where each party was committed to seeking the truth together by studying the traditions of other religions to meet the spiritual needs of religious communities.
"Strengthening religious communities and humanity is the inspiration we must follow and is also the title of the joint declaration that has been prepared for this occasion," Pope Francis stated.
The Pope is visiting Indonesia as part of his Asia-Oceania apostolic journey. Scheduled on September 3–13, 2024, this is the longest pontifical journey he has embarked on during his 11 years of service.
Apart from Indonesia, the esteemed religious figure will also visit Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.
The leader of the Catholic Church will be in Indonesia until September 6, participating in various activities, including an interfaith dialogue at Istiqlal Mosque and a grand mass at Jakarta Cathedral.
He is the third Vatican head of state to visit the country, following Pope Paul VI in 1970 and Pope John Paul II in 1989.
The Pope's decision to include Indonesia in his itinerary stems from the fact that despite being a Muslim-majority country, Indonesia is home to around 8.5 million Catholics who live peacefully alongside their interfaith brothers and sisters.
