Pope Francis calls for peace during interfaith gathering at Jakarta mosque

Pope Francis joined the grand imam of Southeast Asia’s largest mosque in pledging to work together to promote peace and protect the environment, issuing a joint call for interfaith friendship and common cause at the heart of Francis’ visit to Indonesia.

In an encounter rich with symbolic meaning, the pontiff travelled to Jakarta’s iconic Istiqlal Mosque for an interfaith gathering with representatives of the six religions that are officially recognised in Indonesia.

Francis and the grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, also stood at the ground-level entrance to the “Tunnel of Friendship” - an underpass which connects the mosque compound with the neighbouring Catholic cathedral.