When Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia next week, he is set to visit a Jakarta mosque with a unique feature — a tunnel linking it to the city's Catholic cathedral, as part of his 12-day Asia-Pacific tour aimed at promoting interfaith harmony. The 28.3-metre 'Tunnel of Friendship', which connects the Istiqlal mosque to the Our Lady of the Assumption cathedral, was constructed by the government in 2020 as a symbol of religious unity, a theme that the global leader of the Catholic Church has frequently highlighted during his 11-year tenure. Pope Francis, aged 87, is due to land in Indonesia on Tuesday, the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world, marking the beginning of the longest journey of his papacy, which will also include stops in Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore. Concerns have been raised about his growing health issues.
The pope is expected to attend an interfaith gathering at the mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, and to view the tunnel, which includes windows for natural light and wall art, although it is not yet accessible to the public. 'It's extraordinary that the top figure of the Catholics is coming,' remarked Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam of the Istiqlal, whose large parking area is frequently available to church attendees during significant events. 'Whatever your religion, let's respect our guest.' Only about three percent of Indonesia's 280 million population are Catholic, with nearly 90 percent being Muslim.
Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with outgoing President Joko Widodo and conduct a mass at a Jakarta stadium, anticipated to draw over 80,000 people, according to Rev. Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, an Indonesian church official. The visit has thrilled Indonesian Catholics, who have not had a papal visit in over three decades. 'If I could meet him, I would only bow before him. I wouldn't even dare to hold his hand,' said Maria Regina Widyastuti Sasongko, a 77-year-old Catholic woman who sells items like statues and T-shirts featuring the pope's image.
Indonesia has previously welcomed two popes — Pope Paul VI in 1970 and Pope John Paul II in 1989. Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Indonesia's minister of religious affairs, highlighted that the pope's visit symbolizes friendship among all religious communities in Indonesia. 'The pope's visit makes Indonesia a barometer of peace and a pillar of tolerance,' he told Reuters. However, Indonesia's history with religious harmony has been complex. Catholicism was introduced by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century, but historians note it was prohibited during Dutch colonial rule for about two centuries in favor of Protestantism. The Vatican established a diplomatic presence in Indonesia in the 1940s.
In contemporary Indonesia, which is officially secular, minority religions can still encounter discrimination. The US religious freedom watchdog has reported that 'Indonesia's religious freedom conditions remained poor' in 2023, citing regulations that led to the closure of places of worship, including churches. Andreas Harsono, the Indonesia researcher for Human Rights Watch, attributes the roots of religious intolerance and church closures to the laws that enable them. For Sasongko, the Catholic seller of papal memorabilia, the pope's arrival represents hope for unity. 'His visit can inspire people to love one another,' she said.
