Head Of State Protocol Ambassador Andy Rachmianto Received Award From Pope Leo XIV

JAKARTA - The Head of State Protocol (KPN) who is also Plt. The Director General of Protocol and Consular Affairs of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Andy Rachmianto, was awarded the award medal "Pro Ecclesia et Pontificie" from Pope Leo XIV.

This award was directly pinned by Nunsius Apostholic of the Vatican Holy Throne Mgr. Nuncio Pierro Pioppo at the Vatican Embassy, Jakarta, Monday 17 November.

Nuncio The Holy See of the Vatican said this medal was given in recognition of the extraordinary role and performance of Ambassador Andy in serving Pope Francis' visit to Indonesia in September 2024.

Speaking at the awarding of medals, Ambassador Andy expressed his highest gratitude and appreciation to Pope Leo XIV, calling what he did a teamwork with various parties.

"This award is not an individual work, but the result of teamwork involving a number of stakeholders such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the State Secretariat, the Presidential Palace, Paspampres, the Ministry of Religion, the Jakarta Provincial Government, the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI), the Istiqlal Mosque Imam, the Archbishop of the Cathedral Church, the National Committee led by Ignatius Jonan, the Gelora Bung Karno Secretariat (GBK) and also the mass media," said Ambassador Andy, launching a statement from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Monday 17 November.

Furthermore, the former Indonesian Ambassador to Jordan said that it is an honor to have the opportunity to serve Pope Francis' visit in 2024. As a KPN, preparing and serving the visit is a rare and very valuable experience.

"We serve him not only as a guest of the state, but also as a religious leader of 1.4 billion Catholics in the world, including 12.5 million Catholics in Indonesia," said Ambassador Andy.

"An unforgettable and thrilling moment when participating in the grand mass event at GBK when about 90 thousand Catholics omitted 'Viva el Papa...Viva el Papa'," he recalled.

According to Andy, the success of Pope Francis' visit to Jakarta also proves that religious tolerance and intertrust dialogue in Indonesia are going well. Pope Francis' meeting with Catholics at the Cathedral Church and Muslims at the Istiqlal Mosque as an interfaith twingan friendship'.

He hopes that this medal can be an inspiration for all parties to work professionally with enthusiasm and dedication without distinguishing background and religion.