Pope Francis and Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar of the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia signed a historic joint declaration on September 5 for interfaith collaboration against religious-based violence and environmental destruction.
The declaration, titled “Fostering Religious Harmony for the Sake of Humanity,” was signed during an interreligious meeting at Southeast Asia’s largest mosque.
Addressing representatives from Indonesia’s six officially recognized religions, Pope Francis said that interreligious dialogue must focus on “creating a connection in the midst of diversity, cultivating bonds of friendship, care, and reciprocity.”
The document calls on religious communities to combat dehumanization and climate change, identifying these as critical crises facing the world today.
The Grand Imam explained the mosque’s role in promoting tolerance and moderation, noting the Istiqlal Mosque is “expected to provide guidance to more than one million mosques and prayer rooms throughout Indonesia.”
In a symbolic gesture, Pope Francis and the imam blessed the “tunnel of friendship,” an underground passage connecting the mosque to Jakarta’s Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. Francis expressed his hope that it would become “a place of dialogue and encounter.”
The joint declaration aligns with previous initiatives by Pope Francis, including the 2019 “Document on Human Fraternity” signed in Abu Dhabi.
Photo credit: AustralianCamera / Shutterstock.com
