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Pope Francis on Thursday called for solidarity against religious extremism during his visit to Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country.<\/p>\n
The 87-year-old head of the Catholic Church highlighted the importance of unity to “defeat the culture of violence and indifference,” during his visit to the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest in South-East Asia.<\/p>\n
Pope Francis met with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar and signed a joint declaration which underscored values common across different religions to promote reconciliation and peace.<\/p>\n
He and the grand imam stood at the entrance to the “Tunnel of Friendship,” an underpass which connects the mosque compound with the neighbouring Catholic cathedral, Our Lady of the Assumption.<\/p>\n
It was an “eloquent sign,” Pope Francis said as the two places not only faced each other but were linked, allowing for “encounter, dialogue … a genuine experience of fraternity.”<\/p>\n
Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia on Tuesday, kicking off the longest foreign trip of his tenure so far, due to take him to four countries in South-East Asia and Oceania over the next 12 days.<\/p>\n
With more than 240 million Muslims, Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world.<\/p>\n
On Friday, he will continue his journey to Papua New Guinea, before visiting East Timor and Singapore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n