Remarks by Pope Francis at Indonesia’s Istiqlal Mosque during the Holy Father’s visit to that country as well as New Guinea, Timor-Leste and Singapore Sept. 2-13, 2024.
I am happy to be here, in the largest mosque in Asia…. I greet the Grand Imam and thank him for his words...
I would like to recall that this mosque was designed by the architect Friedrich Silaban, a Christian. This testifies that throughout the history of this nation and in the very fabric of its culture, the mosque, like other places of worship, are spaces of dialogue, mutual respect and harmonious coexistence between religions and different spiritual sensibilities. This is a great gift you are called to cultivate every day, so that religious experiences may be reference points for a fraternal and peaceful society and never reasons for close-mindedness or confrontation.
Mention should be made of the underground tunnel, the “tunnel of friendship,” connecting the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. This is an eloquent sign, allowing these two great places of worship not only to be “in front” of each other, but also “connected” to each other. Indeed, this passageway allows for encounter, dialogue and a real possibility for “finding and sharing a ‘mystique’ of living together, mingling and encounter… stepping into this flood tide which, while chaotic, can become a genuine experience of fraternity, a caravan of solidarity, a sacred pilgrimage.” I encourage you to continue along this path so that all of us, together, each cultivating his or her own spirituality and practising his or her religion, may walk in search of God and contribute to building open societies, founded on reciprocal respect and mutual love, capable of protecting against rigidity, fundamentalism and extremism, which are always dangerous and never justifiable.
Bearing in mind all is symbolized by the tunnel, I would like to leave you with two suggestions to encourage you on the path of unity and harmony.
The first is always look deeply, because only in this way can we find what unites despite our differences. On the surface there are spaces in both the mosque and the cathedral that are well defined and frequented by their respective faithful, but below ground in the tunnel, those same people can meet and encounter each other’s religious perspectives. This image reminds us of the important fact that the visible aspects of religions — the rites, practices and so on — are a heritage that must be protected and respected. However, we could say that what lies “underneath,” what runs underground, like the “tunnel of friendship,” is the one root common to all religious sensitivities: the quest for an encounter with the divine, the thirst for the infinite that the Almighty has placed in our hearts, the search for a greater joy and a life stronger than any type of death, which animates the journey of our lives and impels us to step out of ourselves to encounter God. Here, let us remember that by looking deeply, grasping what flows in the depths of our lives, the desire for fullness that dwells in the depths of our hearts, we discover that we are all brothers and sisters, all pilgrims, all on our way to God, beyond what differentiates us.
The second suggestion is to preserve the bonds between you. The tunnel was built in order to create a link between two different and distant places. This is what the tunnel does: it connects, creating a bond. Sometimes we think that a meeting between religions is a matter of seeking common ground between different religious doctrines and beliefs no matter the cost. Such an approach, however, may end up dividing us, because the doctrines and dogmas of each religious experience are different. What really brings us closer is creating a connection in the midst of diversity, cultivating bonds of friendship, care and reciprocity…allowing us to commit ourselves to seek the truth together, learning from the religious tradition of others, and coming together to meet our human and spiritual needs. They are also bonds that allow us to work together: defence of human dignity, the fight against poverty and the promotion of peace. Unity is born from personal bonds of friendship as well as mutual respect and defence of the ideas of others and their sacred spaces. May you always cherish this!
Jakarta
September 5, 2024