Pope advocates for enhanced interfaith conversation as he commences his Asia journey.
Frank arrived in Indonesia on a Tuesday. This Southeast Asian nation is home to the globe's largest Muslim population, with approximately 242 million individuals, equating to 87% of the total population, identifying as Muslim. Less than three percent of Indonesians, however, practice Catholicism.
Indonesia has long wrestled with extremist Islamic violence. A grim reminder of this came in 2002, when Islamic-inspired bombings at a Bali restaurant and nightclub claimed the lives of 202 individuals, including 6 Germans.
Four officially recognized religions and denominations hold a place in the country. On Thursday, Frank will engage with representatives from all six faiths at Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque. Subsequently, he will lead a Mass at the Gelora Bung Karno National Stadium.
After Indonesia, the ailing leader of the Roman Catholic Church will also pay a visit to Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore. Over the course of this journey, Frank will cover a distance of around 32,000 kilometers and spend nearly 43 hours aboard an airplane. Initially, this trip was scheduled for 2020 but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now taking place over three months before Frank turns 88 years old.
Indonesia's diverse religious landscape includes not only Islam and Catholicism, but also Buddhism, Confucianism, and Hinduism, making it a country with four officially recognized religions and denominations. Despite the dominance of Islam, religious tolerance is generally high in Indonesia, as evidenced by the peaceful coexistence of these different faiths.
