Joyful Anticipation in Indonesia as Pope Francis Prepares for Historic Visit

Excitement is building across Indonesia as the nation eagerly awaits Pope Francis’s upcoming visit. Discover how this historic event is bringing joy to communities and uniting people in celebration.

The atmosphere at Sunday mass was unusually exhilarated in Medan, Indonesia’s Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral.

Starting Tuesday in Indonesia, Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic Church, will embark on a two-week journey throughout Asia Pacific. His itinerary includes Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

According to Father Joseph Gultom, Indonesian Catholics displayed a high level of excitement towards Francis’s visit, which marked the first time in over three decades that a pope had visited their country.

“The pope being our leader and an occasion for people to strengthen their belief in the Catholic Church is making me extremely happy,” he commented. “This event holds great importance as it represents a crucial symbol of the Catholic faith in Indonesia, where Muslims constitute the majority population. It marks a significant moment for us.”

With a population of over 270 million people, Indonesia officially recognises six religions which comprise Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Confucianism.

Muslims comprise approximately 87% of the populace, with Catholics representing merely 3%.

Only two popes have visited Indonesia before Francis- Pope Paul VI in 1970 and Pope John Paul II in 1989.

Upon reaching Jakarta this Tuesday, Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the Istiqlal Mosque and also explore the Tunnel of Friendship. Constructed in 2020, this subterranean path connects both the mosque and Catholic cathedral as a powerful gesture towards interfaith collaboration within the city.

In addition, he is scheduled to encounter Nasaruddin Umar – the grand imam of the country and participate in an interfaith assembly. He will further lead a mass for approximately 80,000 devotees at Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno Stadium complex- typically utilized for political or athletic events.

Diversity in unity.

Erwin, a frequent attendee of the Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral in Medan and like many Indonesians known by only one name, informed Al Jazeera that the cathedral’s origin story is indicative of Catholicism’s evolution throughout Indonesia. The religion was initially introduced to the country by Portuguese missionaries during the 16th century.

According to him, the Jesuit priests constructed the cathedral in 1905 and it initially catered to Dutch and Tamil migrant worshippers who were mainly plantation workers.

Following Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch in 1945, the first Indonesian bishop assumed control of the cathedral in 1963. In subsequent decades, an increasing number of Indonesian devotees started attending services at this church from the 1970s onwards.

Visiting Indonesia would be crucial for the Pope since a large number of Indonesian Catholics have solely witnessed him on television. It is imperative that he travels there to display our collective strength in diversity to the global community. Given that there are relatively scant numbers of Catholics present in Indonesia, his trip exhibits recognition and validation towards us as part of their countenance.

This demonstrates that we have a responsibility to take part in Indonesia.

bring blessings to their community.

With a population of nearly 2.5 million individuals, Medan is the fifth largest city in Indonesia and serves as the capital of North Sumatra Province. This bustling metropolis boasts a significant Christian community that thrives within its boundaries; approximately 20 percent of residents affiliate with Protestantism, while around 5 percent identify as Catholic.

According to Indonesia’s bureau of statistics, Catholicism is the predominant religion only in East Nusa Tenggara and South Papua regions of the country.

According to Alexander Arifianto, who is a senior fellow and coordinator of the Indonesia Programme at Nanyang Technological University’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), there exists in Indonesia “a Catholic minority that may be small but holds considerable importance.”

He stated that in the past, Catholic individuals have played significant roles as members of the political elite such as cabinet ministers and military generals, especially during the presidency of Soeharto.

The government’s eagerness to welcome Pope Francis offers a favorable chance for them to demonstrate Indonesia as an inclusive and contemporary Muslim nation.

This presents a favorable chance for Muslim groups such as Nahdlatul Ulama, recognized as the largest Islamic association globally and renowned for its advocacy of religious tolerance and pluralism to demonstrate how tolerant Indonesian Islam is towards religions outside their own.

“Exceptional event.”

Approximately 2,000 devotees hailing from various regions of North Sumatra will journey to Jakarta for the purpose of participating in a religious service led by His Holiness. Each parish has nominated around 10-20 individuals who have been chosen to attend this event; amongst them is Nicholas Dharma – holding the position of cathedral security chief.

Dharma remains vigilant in his duties, overseeing the movement of clergy within the cathedral complex and keeping a watchful eye on all who tread upon church property.

The Mary Cathedral’s Immaculate Conception boasts of a solitary entry and exit point that is heavily secured, with tall metal fences all around it.

The stringent security measures can be traced back to Christmas Eve of 2000. Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), an extremist organization, sent a package bomb to the church as part of their concerted assault on various churches in Jakarta and eight other Indonesian cities. This act claimed the lives of 18 individuals, with over 100 others sustaining injuries.

He expressed his wish for the safety of the Pope’s visit and highlighted how, over a span of 15 years, the church had collaborated with Indonesia’s National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) to enhance security measures and ensure protection for parishioners.

He informed Al Jazeera that this was a significant moment for them because not all popes have visited Indonesia and the pope is their topmost leader.

Although they had not been born during the previous visits of two popes to Indonesia, Ririn Silalhi and Yola Marpaung – both 20-year-old sociology students- mentioned that their usual place for worship is a different Catholic church located in Medan. However, they decided to attend the cathedral on this “special occasion” which was before Pope Francis’ arrival.

Silalhi expressed the hope that Indonesia’s ties with the Vatican will be enhanced following his visit.

The pope’s attention on Indonesia brings us great joy, as it demonstrates his kindness and humility. Additionally, it serves to highlight the diversity of Indonesia beyond just its Muslim population.

Getting this special attention feels good.