The age of world leaders may be hotly debated elsewhere, but in Indonesia this week, Pope Francis, the 87-year-old head of Roman Catholicism, began the most physically demanding trip of his pontificate so far. It was the first stop on a two-week, four-country tour of Southeast Asia, with a packed schedule of meetings and public speeches braving likely punishing heat and humidity.

Landing in Jakarta on Tuesday after a 13-hour flight, Francis greeted his hosts with non-stop smiles, but over his three days in the vibrantly diverse Indonesian archipelago, the pope did not hide his fragility, greeting crowds from a wheelchair and heaving himself from transportation to podium to altar with the help of his entourage.

Despite his health challenges, which include an ailing knee and troubling sciatica, the pope used his evident vulnerability as a way to bridge differences. At an meeting on Thursday with Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar at the famed Istiqlal Mosque, the pope submitted to a kiss on the head from the imam after the two leaders, clad in white, signed a joint declaration on "Fostering Religious Harmony for the Sake of Humanity." Francis returned the favour by pressing the imam's hand on his cheek.

The meeting was a continuation of a journey that began with the 2019 document "Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together," co-signed on the pontiff's visit to Abu Dhabi with the grand imam of Al-Ahzar, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb.

Home to nearly 242 million Muslims, Indonesia is the largest Muslim-majority country in the world, with a Catholic population of approximately 8 million. But the country prides itself for being a beacon of tolerance among faiths, adhering to the maxim "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" (Unity in diversity).

A growing number of violent episodes by Muslim groups, including a thwarted attack by Islamic terrorists in East Java in August, have raised concerns that religious tensions may be increasing. Speaking to government and diplomatic leaders on Wednesday, the pope offered the church's help in countering extremism and intolerance.

The Istiqlal Mosque, itself a symbol of interfaith dialogue, stands in front of the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption. The two sites are connected by an underground tunnel, aptly named "Tunnel of Friendship," which the pope praised as a symbol of fraternal unity overcoming differences in creed and theology.

At the meeting with Umar, which took place under a tent near the mosque, the pope laid out his vision for peaceful coexistence between members of different faiths. "Sometimes we think that a meeting between religions is a matter of seeking common ground between different religious doctrines and beliefs no matter the cost," the pope told the crowd, which included Hindu, Buddhist and Protestant representatives.

"Such an approach, however, may end up dividing us," he said, "because the doctrines and dogmas of each religious experience are different. What really brings us closer is creating a connection in the midst of diversity, cultivating bonds of friendship, care and reciprocity."

Rather than focusing on dogma, the pope listed other concerns that bring faithful of all religions together, including "defense of human dignity, the fight against poverty and the promotion of peace."

The joint declaration, only a few paragraphs long, outlined two major crises: dehumanization and climate change. The document urged religious traditions to come together "to defeat the culture of violence and indifference afflicting our world." It also stated that interreligious dialogue can be "an effective instrument for resolving local, regional and international conflicts, especially those incited by the abuse of religion." Finally, it called on all people of goodwill to take actions for the good of the environment and its resources.

After the event, the pope made sure to tell members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Indonesia how to be good neighbors in a pluralistic society. " ... Proclaiming the gospel does not mean imposing our faith, placing it in opposition to that of others, or proselytizing, it means giving and sharing the joy of encountering Christ, always with great respect and fraternal affection for everyone," he said.

Francis ended his visit to Indonesia with a Mass on the feast of St. Teresa of Calcutta at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium, where 100,000 people gathered to cheer for him. The pope in his homily underlined the importance of caring for the poor and reaching out to the marginalized.

"I would also like to say to you, to this nation, to this wonderful and varied archipelago, do not grow weary of setting sail and casting your nets, do not grow weary of dreaming and building again a civilization of peace!" the pope said. "Always dare to dream of fraternity!"

Francis' next step in his "tour de force" will be Papua New Guinea, where he is expected to reflect on climate change and the care of creation, poverty and the bounty of lessons to be learned from Indigenous communities.

© Religion News Service