Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, with 88% of the population practicing Islam.
This Thursday, in Jakarta, Francis signed a joint declaration with the imam of the largest mosque in Asia (Nasaruddin Umar, the grand imam of the Istiqlal Mosque) of Jakarta. “Interreligious dialogue must be recognized as an effective instrument for resolving local, regional and international conflicts, especially those caused by the abuse of religion,” they write in this text.
Representatives of six religions were present.
The grand imam and the pope stood together at the entrance to the “tunnel of friendship,” which connects the mosque to the nearby cathedral.
“Faced with today’s many challenges, we respond with the sign of fraternity“, Francis said in a first statement.