Jakarta, IO – Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican city state, led an Eucharist Mass at the Bung Karno Stadium (GBK) complex, Thursday (5/9), attended by more than 80,000 Catholics devotees from across Indonesia. He arrived at around 4.15pm and was personally greeted by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. He then got on a modified homegrown tactical vehicle Maung and waved at people.
He first passed through the smaller Madya Stadium. He was met by and cheering and excited crowds, the majority of them children and young people. He went around greeting, giving blessings and occasionally stopping to interact with them.
He then entered the main stadium and was immediately greeted with the chants “Viva Il Papa”, wishing the Pope a long life. He also made a few stops along the way and occasionally gave blessings to the children. He then sit on the altar and the congregation went quiet to start the Mass held simultaneously in two stadiums.
In his sermon, Pope Francis urged the congregation to preserve peace and harmony. “The word of God calls upon us to open the path of life, to free ourselves from bad habits, from fear, and to dare to live a new life,” said Pope Francis, adding that Catholics must play a role in building a more just society. Justice fostered by people of different religions takes the path to peace further.
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“Sail and cast your nets. Do not tire of dreaming and building again a civilization of peace. Always dare to dream of fraternity,” said Pope Francis closing his sermon.
The participants were seen wearing various traditional costumes and speaking local dialects, a testimony to Indonesia’s diverse ethnic groups, customs and languages bound in unity, harmony, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. (rr)