AFP Videos – France
Pope expected at Jakarta mosque for interfaith meeting
Pope Francis is taking part in an interreligious meeting at the Jakarta mosque on Thursday, one of the highlights of his three-day visit to the Indonesian capital, where he will preside over a giant mass in a stadium in the afternoon. Despite a hectic pace, the 87-year-old pontiff has appeared smiling and in good shape since the start of his 12-day trip on Tuesday, the longest of his pontificate: willingly joking with the faithful, he has not seemed bothered by the humid heat of Jakarta, nor by the many requests, even taking several walks with the crowd. On Thursday, Francis is due to speak at 9 a.m. (0200 GMT) at the Istiqlal mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, as part of an interreligious meeting in the presence of representatives of the six official faiths: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Confucianism. The pope will will sign a joint declaration with the Grand Imam, Nasaruddin Umar, which will have two main themes: the “dehumanization” linked to conflicts and violence against children and women, and the protection of the environment, said the president of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, Antonius Subianto Bunjamin. On Wednesday, the Pope already called for strengthening interreligious dialogue to “counteract extremism and intolerance, which – by distorting religion – try to impose themselves using deception and violence.” The Istiqlal Mosque is next to the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption and the authorities built a “tunnel of friendship” in 2020 to connect the two buildings, a symbol of religious fraternity. Francis has visited Muslim-majority countries on several occasions and signed a document on human fraternity with the Grand Imam in Abu Dhabi in 2019 Al-Azhar. Observers point to growing discrimination against religious minorities in Indonesia, particularly Christians in some regions, and voices are being raised to call on the government to take action. The vast archipelago of 17,500 islands is home to the largest Muslim population in the world (242 million, or 87% of the population), compared to some eight million Catholics (less than 3%). – XXL Mass – In the middle of the morning, Francis is also due to meet poor people supported by charities at the headquarters of the Indonesian Episcopal Conference. In the afternoon (10:00 GMT), Francis will preside over an open-air high mass at the Gelora Bung Karno national stadium, in front of 80,000 faithful, while as many are expected to rush to follow the ceremony outside the enclosure. This visit is part of a marathon tour that will take him to four countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania, initially planned for 2020, but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After Paul VI in 1970 and John Paul II in 1989, Francis is the third pope to visit the country, whose capital has put his image in the spotlight, with Vatican flags and welcome posters. Security has been increased for the pope’s visit to Jakarta, with the closure of certain roads and the deployment of security personnel including some 4,000 soldiers or police, as well as snipers. Francis is then expected on Friday in Papua New Guinea, then in East Timor and Singapore where he will complete a 32,000 km journey on September 13. This 45th trip abroad is a major physical challenge for the Argentine Jesuit, who moves around in a wheelchair but often appears invigorated by the travel and contact with the faithful. cmk/ebe/roc
Related News :