'Thank You, We Cathedral Catholics Can Use Istiqlal Mosque Basement Parking'

Jakarta Cathedral Church (Photo: Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Head Pastor of the Cathedral Church, Father Albertus Hani Rudi Hartoko, SJ, expressed his gratitude to the Istiqlal Mosque for allowing the parking lot to be used for Catholics who will carry out the Good Friday service.

He said this shows that fellow religious communities in the country can coexist with each other.

"I also express my gratitude, we Catholics can use the basement parking lot (Istiqlal Mosque, red) even though the tunnel has not yet been completed," Albertus told reporters at the Jakarta Cathedral Church, Friday, April 2.

He also warned that there should not be divisions in the country just because of differences. "Diversity is precisely the wealth of us all," he stressed.

Furthermore, he also mentioned about the underground tunnel that connects the Istiqlal Mosque and the Cathedral Church. He said, if the construction of the tunnel was completed, it could become an icon of diversity.

This is also in accordance with the ideals of President Soekarno who wanted to build a national mosque alongside the Cathedral Church.

"It is a real sign that Indonesia is diverse and we are side by side, as said by the high priest (Istiqlal, red) that we are not opposite, we are side by side," he said.

"That is Bung Karno's goal to build a national mosque alongside the cathedral," added Albertus.

As previously reported, the Jakarta Cathedral Church only provides 309 seats for the congregation or 20 percent of the church's capacity. This was done in order to follow the rules for preventing transmission of COVID-19.

Congregations must also register themselves first on the website of the Jakarta Archdiocese. As for the series of Good Friday worship events today, two sessions will be held, namely 15.00 WIB and 18.00 WIB.