Jakarta, IO – Pope Francis and his entourage upon arrival at the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption, Jakarta (4/9). The head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican city state was scheduled to make a two-day visit, September 4-5, to several important places in Jakarta, including the State Palace, the Cathedral, the Istiqlal Mosque, and the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium. The visit is part of an apostolic journey to strengthen interfaith harmony and promote peace and interfaith dialogue in Indonesia.
Hundreds of residents, including children, were seen lining up along the road to the Cathedral. Some of them enthusiastically waved the Indonesian and Vatican flags. The atmosphere became even more lively when the papal visit committee’s bus and a number of priests passed through the ecstatic crowds, who screamed “Viva Il Papa! Viva Papa Francesco!”.
The arrival of Pope Francis was also greeted by a group of children playing the traditional angklung (bamboo musical instrument) and performing Indonesian national and regional folk songs. Before entering the Cathedral, Pope Francis took the time to greet each of the children. Residents who could not enter the church were seen crowding around the church. They remained enthusiastic about watching and welcoming Pope Francis even though only from behind the fence. Some of them seemed to be trying to get the best position to get a closer look at the Argentine Pope.
Read: Key highlights of Pope Francis’ Arrival in Indonesia
During his visit to Indonesia, Pope Francis highlighted the issue of violence that often arises when uniformity is imposed by the authorities. The Pope expressed his concern about the various violent conflicts that have occurred in various parts of the world and invited all parties to prioritize dialogue and cooperation in creating global peace. This visit is not only a historic moment for Indonesian Catholics devotees, but also a symbol of hope for unity and peace in diversity. (IO/Faisal Ramadhan)