The video was circulated in similar posts on X, YouTube, SnackVideo And Wires which indicated that the ceremony was inappropriate.
“The imams and staff of Istiqlal Mosque should be questioned on how they allowed this to happen while wearing Catholic Christian costumes,” one said. “Don’t Muslims in Jakarta want to eliminate these apostates?”
Another wrote: “I hope Allah will show you his wrath. The place of worship for Muslims is being used to hold an event for other religions. Where are the brains of the clerics and religious leaders?”
Islamic event
Abu Hurairah Abdul Salam, a senior official at the Istiqlal Mosque, said the video “has nothing to do with the visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis”.
“The theme of the event was Independence Day, so they wore red and white clothes and including the national anthem “during the ceremony,” he told AFP on September 5.
The Indonesian national flag consists of two stripes in the colours red and white.
A statement from the Jagat ‘Arsy International Boarding School, which organized the meeting, said it was held on August 31 to mark Indonesia’s independence day that month and was “planned long before there was news of the Pope’s visit” (archived link).
The ceremony included religious sermons, prayers and a performance of the national anthem. Attendees were allowed to wear red and white as a “symbol of our love for the country,” according to the September 3 statement, which was provided to AFP via the mosque.
A search on YouTube revealed that the event was being streamed live on the JAGAT ‘ARSY YouTube channel on August 31 (archived link).
The video caption states that the meeting was held to study Islamic religious leaders and celebrate Indonesian Independence Day.
Below is a screenshot of the video that was circulated in fake messages on social media (left) and the YouTube livestream (right), with AFP highlighting similarities:
The mosque before hosted an interfaith ceremony to celebrate Independence Day on August 17, 2022 (archived link).
Meanwhile, local media, including Tempo And CNN Indonesia reported that the Pope did not enter the Istiqlal Mosque (archived link) during his visit there.
Instead, he met the Grand Imam in a tent set up on the mosque grounds.
Francis also visited a “tunnel of friendship,” a symbol of interfaith harmony that connects the mosque to Jakarta Cathedral across the street.
AFP has also debunked other misinformation about the Pope’s visit to Indonesia here.
