April 22, 2025 | 02:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Ambassador to the Vatican, Michael Trias Kuncahyono, stated that both the Vatican and Indonesia are in the process of finalizing the Istiqlal Declaration.
The declaration was signed by Pope Francis, leader of the global Catholic Church, along with Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs and Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, Nasaruddin Umar, on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
Trias shared that he had recently met with Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, who was appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
According to Trias, Cardinal Koovakad affirmed his commitment to advancing the Istiqlal Declaration.
"We made plans, there are meetings, seminars, and so on to further socialize the Istiqlal Declaration," Trias told Tempo on the evening of Monday, April 21, 2025.
He added that Koovakad showed strong enthusiasm when discussing the declaration, particularly since he was involved in drafting it.
The Istiqlal Declaration is a joint document that underscores a commitment to religious harmony for the sake of humanity.
Trias also mentioned that he had discussed the continuation of the declaration with Father Markus Solo Kewuta during a gathering at the Indonesian Embassy to the Holy See on April 12, 2025.
"I chatted with Father Markus and we talked about it. He said he already got the original text (of the Istiqlal Declaration)," he said.
Trias further revealed that before the passing of Pope Francis, Nasaruddin Umar had expressed interest in visiting the Vatican. He received updates from Jakarta regarding the plan and is currently awaiting further developments.
However, the planned meeting between the Grand Imam and the head of the Catholic Church has not yet taken place.
This is largely due to Pope Francis’s declining health earlier this year, which led to restrictions on foreign visits and public appearances during his recovery. He passed away a day after Easter Sunday.
Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Casa Santa Marta. At 09:45 local time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, officially announced the Pope’s passing after 12 years of service.
"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church," said Cardinal Farrell as quoted from the Vatican's website on Monday, April 21, 2025.
Before his passing, Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, had been admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on Friday, February 14, 2025. He was suffering from bronchitis that developed into double pneumonia.
In his youth, he had battled pleurisy, which led to the removal of part of his lungs. Doctors had recommended two months of rest at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Vatican City, to aid his recovery. Despite their efforts, his condition worsened.
Dian Rahma Fika contributed to the writing of this article.
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