The country’s religious affairs ministry has also hailed the visit as a symbol of Indonesia’s religious diversity.
“It is very important in conveying a message and showing the world that religious harmony in Indonesia is guaranteed and has been implemented,” ministry spokesman Sunanto, who goes by one name, said Monday, state news agency Antara reported.
At the Istiqlal Mosque, Pope Francis will sign a joint declaration with its grand imam that will focus on “dehumanisation”, notably the spread of violence and conflict, as well as environmental degradation, according to the Indonesian bishops’ conference.
Pope Francis has repeatedly urged the world to do more to combat climate change and mitigate its effects – including rising sea levels, which threaten Jakarta.
Indonesia has experienced terrorist attacks over recent decades, including bombings on the resort island of Bali by Islamist militants in 2002 that left 202 people dead.
Security has been stepped up for the pope’s visit, with roads around key sites where he is scheduled to visit being re-routed or closed.
FRAGILE HEALTH
His trip to Indonesia is the third ever by a pope and the first since John Paul II in 1989.
Originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the visit takes place just three months before his 88th birthday.
The Argentine now routinely uses a wheelchair to move around, underwent hernia surgery last year and has been plagued by respiratory issues.
He has not travelled abroad since visiting Marseille in France in September last year, having cancelled a planned address at United Nations climate talks in Dubai two months later.
He will be travelling to Indonesia with his personal doctor and two nurses, but Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said this is normal, saying no extra precautions were in place.
