At The Vatican, Minister Of Religion Yaqut Directly Invites Pope Francis To Come To Indonesia

Pope Francis prays for war victims in the Old City of Mosul, Iraq, March 2021. (Antara-Reutes-Khalid al-Mousily)

JAKARTA - Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas flew to the Vatican, Italy. Together with the General Chair of PBNU KH Yahya Cholil Staquf alias Gus Yahya, the Minister of Religion plans to invite Pope Francis to come to the country.

"The purpose of our visit to the Vatican is to invite Pope Francis to greet Catholics and witness the diversity that Indonesia has. Prior to the pandemic, the Pope planned to come to Indonesia but was canceled due to the pandemic," said Minister of Religion Yaqut, quoted from a press release by the Ministry of Religion, Wednesday, June 8.

Not only with Gus Yahya, but also in meeting the world's Catholic religious leaders, Plt. Director General of Catholicism Albertus Magnus Adiyarto Sumardjono, and Special Staff of the Minister of Religion Abdul Qodir. The group departed for the Vatican in the early hours of Tuesday 7 June.

On the first day of the visit, Tuesday night or Wednesday, June 8 Indonesian time, the Minister of Religion greeted Indonesians at the Vatican and Rome. The meeting, which was initiated by the Indonesian Embassy in the Vatican, was attended by nuns, students, and Indonesian workers.

The meeting was opened by the Indonesian Ambassador to the Vatican, Laurentius Amrih Jinangkung. On the same occasion, the Minister of Religion explained that the Ministry of Religion had declared 2022 as the Year of Tolerance.

This declaration is a manifestation of the government's strong commitment to always maintain tolerance, be it social, religious or political tolerance. This, said the Minister of Religion, became a very important social capital to build the nation.

Moreover, continued the Minister of Religion, Indonesia will face political momentum in 2024. For this reason, joint efforts from all levels of society are needed to minimize the potential for politicization of religion.

"We want to make Indonesia a barometer of religious life that is harmonious and harmonious in diversity, and whose people are tolerant and respect each other's differences," he said.

The Minister of Religion assured the Ministry of Religion not to be biased. He advised that fellow religious people should respect each other, as well as those of different faiths.

“The Ministry of Religion is in charge of serving people of all religions. There is no discrimination," he said.