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Quran, Gospel, Tunnel of Friendship: Pope Up Close to Indonesia’s Interfaith Harmony

Jayanty Nada Shofa
September 5, 2024 | 10:50 am
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Pope Francis visits the Istiqlal Mosque on Sep. 5, 2024. (JG Photo/Jayanty Nada Shofa)
Pope Francis visits the Istiqlal Mosque on Sep. 5, 2024. (JG Photo/Jayanty Nada Shofa)

Jakarta. Pope Francis has begun the third day of his Jakarta trip by going to the Istiqlal Mosque for another journey that will give him a closer look to Indonesia’s interfaith harmony.

The Catholic church leader’s first stop was the famous Tunnel of Friendship that connects Southeast Asia's largest mosque -- the Istiqlal -- and the adjacent Jakarta Cathedral.

The pope then came to a huge tent set on the mosque’s grounds to address the leaders of other faiths. Readings of the Islamic holy book Quran as well as the Christian’s Gospel of Luke at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque gave another touch of “unity in diversity” to the pope’s visit. In his speech, the 87-year-old pope admitted that he was in awe of the underground tunnel, saying that it is a meaningful symbol that connects two places of worship.

“This tunnel paves the way for meetings, dialogues, as well as the real possibility of discovering and sharing the mysticism of living together, mingling and meeting and taking part in a wave that, although somewhat chaotic, can be a real experience of fraternity,” Pope Francis said.

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The pope even made another shoutout to Indonesia’s motto of “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”  -- unity in diversity -- as he ended his address. This motto signifies how Indonesians live in harmony despite their diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. 

“With God’s help and blessings, let's continue to move forward. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika! Different but still one," he said. 

The populous Indonesia is a multifaith country that recognizes six religions, namely Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism with a large part of the population identifying as Muslims. Indonesia is home to 8.5 million Catholics. 

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