Pope Francis, at the age of 87, commenced a historic journey, embarking on a four-nation tour that will be the longest of his papacy. His first stop is Indonesia, a nation with a predominantly Muslim population, where the focus will be on interfaith relations and promoting religious harmony. The tour, which spans 12 days and covers approximately 32,000 kilometers, is the most ambitious undertaking of his 11-year tenure as the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. Despite his increasingly fragile health, Pope Francis has appeared in good spirits in recent weeks, often energized by interacting with his flock.
The visit to Indonesia holds significant importance, as Catholics represent less than three percent of the country’s population, amounting to approximately eight million people, compared to the 87 percent, or 242 million, who are Muslim. However, Catholicism is one of six officially recognized religions or denominations in Indonesia, alongside Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism. On Thursday, Pope Francis will engage in a meeting with representatives of all six religions at Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and a symbol of religious coexistence. This mosque is connected via a “tunnel of friendship” to the cathedral across the road, where Christians have recently been taking selfies with a life-sized cutout of the pope. During his time at the mosque, Pope Francis will sign a joint declaration with the grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar. The statement will address the issue of “dehumanization”, specifically focusing on the spread of violence and conflict, particularly against women and children, as well as environmental degradation. This declaration aligns with Pope Francis’ consistent calls for global action to combat climate change and mitigate its effects, including rising sea levels that pose a threat to Jakarta, a heavily polluted megalopolis.
Security measures have been significantly heightened for the three-day visit, with a deployment of over 4,000 law enforcement officers, including military personnel, police, and members of the president’s security detail. A new billboard advertising “Welcome Pope Francis” has been erected in central Jakarta, and the government has ordered a special stamp in his honor. The country’s religious affairs ministry has lauded the visit as a symbol of Indonesia’s religious diversity. According to Sunanto, the ministry’s spokesman, who uses a single name, the visit is crucial in conveying a message and demonstrating to the world that religious harmony in Indonesia is guaranteed and has been implemented. This is the third papal visit to Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,500 islands, following previous visits by Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989.
The Independent Jakarta Post newspaper, in an editorial published on Monday, hailed the visit as “highly significant for the advancement of interreligious relations” both within Indonesia and globally. While Indonesia officially recognizes different faiths, concerns persist regarding growing discrimination, including against Christians. Local Catholics are hopeful that the pope will address these concerns during his visit. The Jakarta-based Journalists’ Union for Diversity (SEJUK) reported to AFP that it had recorded eight violations of religious freedom in August alone, encompassing incidents such as the banning of church construction, attacks on temples, and assaults.
Michel Chambon, a theologian and anthropologist at the National University of Singapore, explained that Pope Francis’ message during this visit will be broader in scope, aligning with the message he has previously delivered in other Muslim-majority countries, including Iraq, Bahrain, Turkey, and Morocco. The visit, Chambon noted, is not primarily aimed at Catholics in Indonesia but rather intends to highlight the global significance of Islamic-Christian dialogue. He added that divisions exist within the Catholic Church regarding interreligious dialogue, with some leaders believing that while peaceful coexistence is valuable, it may not lead to further progress.
During his visit, Pope Francis will meet with outgoing President Joko Widodo and engage in meetings with young people, diplomats, and local clergy. He will also preside over a mass at an 80,000-seat stadium, one of several such events planned during the tour. This marks the 45th overseas trip of his papacy. Initially scheduled for 2020, the visit was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It takes place just three months before his 88th birthday. The Argentine pontiff now regularly uses a wheelchair to navigate, underwent hernia surgery last year, and has faced persistent respiratory issues. His last overseas trip was to Marseille, France, in September 2023. He cancelled a planned address at the United Nations climate talks in Dubai two months later. For this tour, Pope Francis will be accompanied by his personal doctor and two nurses, although Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated that this is standard practice and no additional precautions have been implemented.
