Pope Francis’ historic Indonesia visit highlights religious intolerance despite unity claims

The pontiff’s calls for interfaith dialogue come amid rising majoritarianism and recent incidents of violence against religious minorities

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Pope Francis (left) delivers his address as Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo looks on during a meeting with Indonesian authorities, at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday. Photo: Vatican Media/AFP

Published: 7:00pm, 4 Sep 2024Updated: 3:29pm, 5 Sep 2024

Pope Francis’ historic first visit to Indonesia, marked by calls for greater interfaith dialogue, highlights growing concerns about religious intolerance in the country, as rising majoritarianism and recent protests challenge the nation’s famed religious pluralism.

On Wednesday, the second day of his three-day visit to the country, the 87-year-old pontiff praised Indonesia’s cultural and religious diversity and urged President Joko Widodo, President-elect Prabowo Subianto and other officials to promote interreligious dialogue to “counter extremism and intolerance.”

“Sometimes violent tensions arise within countries because those in power want to make everything uniform, imposing their vision even in matters that should be left to the autonomy of individuals or associated groups,” Pope Francis said in an address at the State Palace in Jakarta.

Quoting a speech delivered by Pope John Paul II during the last papal visit to Indonesia in 1989, Pope Francis said the government should “respect the human and political rights of all citizens” to forge a “just and peaceful society which all Indonesians wish for themselves and long to bequeath to their children.”

On Thursday, the pope is scheduled to attend an interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia’s largest mosque. To drive home his message of religious harmony, Francis will walk into the 28.3-metre “Tunnel of Friendship”, which was built in 2020 and connects the mosque to the Jakarta Cathedral next door.

Muslims gather outside the Istiqlal Mosque ahead of Pope Francis’ visit in Jakarta. The mosque will host an interfaith meeting between representatives of Indonesia’s six officially recognised religions and Pope Francis. Photo EPA-EFE

The proximity of the two houses of worship is seen as a symbol of the country’s philosophy of Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity). The Cathedral provides parking spaces for Muslims during Friday prayers, and vice versa for Istiqlal for the faithful attending Sunday mass.