Pope and Imam of southeast Asia’s largest mosque make joint call for peace

Pope Francis, right, kisses the right hand of the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar after an interreligious meeting with religious leaders at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta (Aditya Aji/AP)

Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of southeast Asia’s largest mosque have vowed to fight religiously inspired violence and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of the Pope’s visit to Indonesia.

In an encounter rich with symbolic meaning and personal touches, the Pope travelled to Jakarta’s iconic Istiqlal Mosque for an interreligious gathering with representatives of the six religions that are officially recognised in Indonesia: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.