Pope Francis Urges Unity, Decries Religious Conflict in Indonesia Visit
Pope Francis has warned against using religion to fuel conflict on his final day of visit to Indonesia, the first stop in his tour of the Asia Pacific region.
At the Istiqlal mosque, the largest in South East Asia, the Pope signed a declaration on religious harmony and environmental protection with the mosque’s grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, and met with local leaders of six religions.
The 87-year-old Pontiff, who kicked off an 11-day visit to the region on Tuesday, emphasized the need for people of different religions to come together, saying “we are all brothers, all pilgrims, all on our way to God, beyond what differentiates us.”
Pope Francis also visited a tunnel connecting the mosque to a Catholic cathedral, which he described as an “eloquent sign” of how people of different beliefs could share roots.
The Pope’s visit to Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has been seen as a significant step towards promoting interfaith dialogue and harmony.
