Tunnel connects cathedral and mosque for interfaith dialogue

Tunnel connects cathedral and mosque for interfaith dialogue

The work is finished, but we will have to wait a little longer before using it! The “friendship tunnel”, this underground route connecting the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption in Jakarta to the Istiqlal Mosque, will be inaugurated by the country’s authorities this fall, following the visit of Pope Francis to Indonesia, from September 3 to 6, 2024.

Reserved for pedestrians, the underground passage measuring around thirty meters now connects the two religious buildings which face each other on either side of a busy road.

The idea was launched in 2020 by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in order to encourage dialogue between the two religious communities. A more than symbolic scope in the most populous Muslim country in the world where nearly 270 million inhabitants live, 88% of whom are Muslims and 7.4% are Christians (around 20 million).

This construction comes in a context of radicalization of society, marked by a clear decline of moderate Islam, becoming more conservative in its practice of Islam and less tolerant towards religious minorities. In 2023, the Indonesian Constitutional Court banned marriages between two people of different religions. The Dutch NGO “Open Doors” which supports and defends persecuted Christians around the world, ranked Indonesia 42nd in its list of the 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian.

Book ready for Pope’s visit

Built between 1891 and 1901, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is a focal point for pilgrims from all over Indonesia. Its neighbor, the Istiqlal Mosque, a modern structure built in 1984, is now the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and can accommodate up to 200,000 worshipers.

The construction of the mosque, just a few meters from the Christian building, was intended by the political authorities as a “symbol of religious harmony and tolerance”. The tunnel connecting the two buildings is all the more rich in symbols since one of the two entrances leading to the Catholic cathedral is located inside the prayer space of the mosque. The faithful of both faiths will be able to reflect on the message of peace delivered during this short underground crossing by stopping in front of some artistic works illustrating, in particular, the fraternal encounter between different beliefs.

The tunnel will be ready for Pope Francis’ visit to Indonesia, scheduled for September 3-6, 2024. However, the pontiff will not use the underground passage, due to health and safety reasons.

At 87, the Pope is preparing to take up his pilgrim’s staff again for a 45th apostolic journey. It will be the 5th to Asia and the longest of his pontificate: twelve days of travel over 30,000 km. From September 2 to 13, Francis will therefore travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore.

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