Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Jakarta signed a joint document on Thursday calling for action against the “religious instrumentalization of conflicts” and global warming, during an interreligious meeting in front of the Istiqlal Mosque. In the “Istiqlal Declaration”, the two religious leaders expressed concern about the “dehumanization” linked to the “generalization of conflicts and violence” and called for “decisive measures to preserve the integrity of the natural environment and its resources”.
A visit that focuses mainly on Islamic-Christian dialogue
Interfaith dialogue is one of the main themes of the three-day papal visit to the archipelago of 17,500 islands, which is home to the world’s largest Muslim population (242 million, or 87% of the population), compared to some eight million Catholics (less than 3%). “We have two big messages. The first is that (…) humanity is one, there are no colours. And the second is how to save our environment. These are two very important topics today,” Jakarta’s grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, told AFP.
“Looking deep, grasping what flows deep in our lives (…) we discover that we are all brothers, all pilgrims, all on the path to God, beyond what differentiates us,” the 87-year-old Argentine pope then declared in his speech, in the presence of representatives of the six officially recognized confessions in Indonesia (Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism).
“We take the measure, with responsibility, of the serious and sometimes dramatic crises which threaten the future of humanity, in particular wars and conflicts (…) without forgetting the environmental crisis which has become an obstacle to growth and the coexistence of peoples”, also declared the sovereign pontiff.
Pope Francis to preside over open-air high mass
In the afternoon, around 10:00 GMT, Francis will preside over a high mass in the open air at the Gelora Bung Karno national stadium, in front of 80,000 faithful, a high point of communion with the Indonesian population, while as many are expected to rush to follow the ceremony outside the stadium. This visit is part of a marathon tour which, after his departure from Jakarta on Friday morning, should take him to Papua New Guinea, then to East Timor and Singapore where he will complete a 32,000 km journey on September 13.