Vatican official visits Indonesia’s national mosque

(November 27, 2009) A leading Vatican official has paid a visit to Indonesia’s Istiqlal mosque, the largest in Southeast Asia, during his first official trip to the country. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, on Wednesday visited the national mosque barefoot alongside Jesuit Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja of Jakarta and several other Church leaders and Indonesian Bishops' Conference officials. "This mosque does not belong only to Muslims but all religious followers. They all are welcome here," the mosque's imam Kiai Hajj Syarifuddin Muhammad said, warmly welcoming the Catholic Church leaders. The national mosque of Indonesia, which can hold more than 100,000 people, stands across the road from the Assumption Cathedral Church in Central Jakarta. Cardinal Tauran said, "This is the first time I feel a sincere atmosphere of neighbourhood. It seems there is no gap between Muslims and Catholics". Nasaruddin Umar, the director the Religious Affairs Ministry's Directorate General for Muslim Community Guidance, told UCA News that he was impressed with Cardinal Tauran's visit to the national mosque that was designed by Christian architect Frederich Silaban to celebrate Istiqlal, the Arabic for independence.