Pope Francis on Thursday called for solidarity against religious extremism during his visit to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.
The 87-year-old leader of the Catholic Church stressed the importance of unity to “defeat the culture of violence and indifference” during his visit to the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia.
Pope Francis met with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar and signed a joint statement emphasizing the values common to different religions to promote reconciliation and peace. They both expressed concern about climate change.
He and the Grand Imam stood at the entrance to the “Tunnel of Friendship,” an underpass that connects the mosque complex to the nearby Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.
According to Pope Francis, it was an “eloquent sign” because the two places were not only opposite but also connected, creating “encounter, dialogue… a real experience of brotherhood.”
On the third day of his visit, the Pope celebrated Mass in a football stadium for a community of more than 60,000 people. In his homily, he reiterated his call for tolerance among the world’s religions, dialogue and peace.
Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday, beginning the longest foreign trip of his term, visiting four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania over the next 12 days.
With over 240 million Muslims, Indonesia is the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.
On Friday he will continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, after which he will visit East Timor and Singapore.
