What does Pope Francis’ historic Asia Pacific trip mean for multicultural Indonesia?

JAKARTA: Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday (Sep 3), kicking off his longest trip since becoming head of the Catholic Church about a decade ago.

The 87-year-old pontiff is visiting four countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore, over 12 days. 

One key theme of the trip is inter-religious harmony. Pope Francis is set to engage not only with local Catholic groups, but also leaders of other faiths and political figures.

Among the highlights of his four-day stay in the Indonesian capital Jakarta will be a visit to Istiqlal Mosque – the largest mosque in Southeast Asia – where he will hold an interfaith dialogue with leaders of various religions.

Pope Francis is also expected to meet with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace and lead mass for more than 80,000 Catholics at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium complex.

In a nation as multicultural as Indonesia, his visit will be significant to several groups.

“BREATH OF FRESH AIR”

Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world – they make up 87 per cent of its total population of about 280 million.

It also has the third-largest Christian population in Asia after the Philippines and China. Only 2.9 per cent of the total population are Catholics.

The pope’s visit will be a “breath of fresh air for all religious communities in Indonesia”, said Ulil Abshar Abdalla, chairman of the executive board of Nahdlatul Ulama – the country’s largest Islamic organisation with more than 80 million members.

“We consider this visit very important. It is symbolic but what it symbolises is important because it will inspire the grassroots to build relationships that continue to be tolerant and respectful,” he added.

“I’m sure this is not just an ordinary visit, but one that has a real impact on lives and relations between religious communities, especially between Muslims and Catholics.”

Thomas Ulun Ismoyo, spokesperson for the Pope Francis Visitation Committee in Jakarta, also noted that the pope’s visit “shows the importance or significance of Indonesia before the eyes of the Vatican”.

Over at The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, the oldest cathedral in Jakarta, some Catholics were moved to tears by the anticipation of the pope’s arrival.

One Jakarta resident said she was emotional and happy, the same way she felt when Pope John Paul II, who was head of the Catholic Church from 1978 until his death in 2005, visited Indonesia in 1989.

This is the first papal visit to Indonesia since then.

INTERFAITH MEETING AT MOSQUE

Istiqlal Mosque, where the pope will hold an interfaith meeting on Thursday, is located right across from the cathedral and separated by a narrow strip of street.

The two places of worship are connected by a tunnel, which is considered to be a testament to the moderate approach in the Muslim-majority country.

Pope Francis is scheduled to hold the meeting with representatives of Indonesia’s six officially recognised religions: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

He will also sign a joint declaration with the mosque’s Grand Imam, Nasaruddin Umar.

“For us, this is the best opportunity to introduce Indonesia, and it will definitely change the world’s view (of Indonesia),” said Nasaruddin.

“The point is that Indonesia really is a country that respects its guests, whoever they may be.”

“DIFFERENT WAY FORWARD”

Jonathan Tan, who is Archbishop Paul J Hallinan Professor of Catholic Studies at Case Western Reserve University in the United States, said the pope wants to get across the message that there is a “different way forward”.

Tan noted how the pope’s interfaith dialogue will be a follow-up on his 2019 visit to the United Arab Emirates, where he signed a historic declaration of fraternity with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.

Pope Francis’ current trip was originally planned for 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think now (the trip is) even more poignant and more powerful, because I think the pope wants to draw attention to the fact that there is an alternative beyond violence. There is an alternative where religions can be the force for peace,” Tan told CNA938’s Asia First.

Tan also pointed out the significance of the four countries that the pope is visiting.

About 70 per cent of the island nation of Papua New Guinea are Christian, with 26 per cent being Catholic. Meanwhile, about 97 per cent of Timor-Leste’s population of 1.5 million are Catholic.

“And of course, Singapore (is) the one of the most diverse countries in the world - ethnically, religiously and linguistically. So the pope is showing the world what it means to be Catholic in four contrasting social contexts,” Tan said.

“I think the pope wants to also remind Europeans and North Americans that you can also be a thriving Catholic community in a minority context, among much diversity and plurality of cultures, races, ethnicities, immigrants and religious traditions,” he added.

Pope Francis is set to stay in Jakarta until Friday before departing for Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea.