Pope Francis to visit Indonesia's iconic Istiqlal mosque to promote religious harmony

Pope Francis will visit Indonesia’s iconic Istiqlal mosque where he will hold an interfaith meeting with representatives of the country's six officially recognised religions.

In Istiqlal mosque, the 87-year-old Argentine Jesuit, known for promoting religious dialogue, will meet delegates of Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Indonesia’s constitution recognizes the latter two as separate religions. About 87% of the country’s 280 million people are Muslim, however, it has the third-largest Christian population in Asia after the Philippines and China.

The mosque of Istiqlal, which means independence in Arabic, is the largest in Southeast Asia, covering over 22 acres.

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