October 29, 2025 | 06:44 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar reminisces about his friendship with the late Pope Francis. He conveyed this while addressing an international forum titled "Daring Peace" organized by the Community of Sant' Egidio in the Vatican, Rome, on Monday, October 27, 2025.
Nasaruddin said he was emotional upon learning about the Pope's passing on April 21. "When I heard the sad news from the Vatican, I couldn't believe it. All the memories of Pope Francis came to my mind," he said in a statement published on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
For Nasaruddin, the man with birth name Jorge Mario Bergoglio emanated warmth and sincerity. The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque then shared his spiritual experience interacting with the Pope, who visited Indonesia in September 2024.
On Thursday, September 5, 2024, the two religious figureheads met at the Tunnel of Friendship connecting the Istiqlal Mosque and the Jakarta Cathedral. After taking a photo together, Pope Francis kissed Nasaruddin's hand, to which Nasaruddin responded by kissing the forehead of the Leader of the Catholic Church.
"There are so many unforgettable memories with Pope Francis. Even when I see our photo where I kissed his forehead and he kissed my hand, I feel as if he is still with us," he said.
While walking in the tunnel, Nasaruddin revealed his brief conversation with the Pope. Pope Francis explained about the Fratelli Tutti Encyclical, which emphasizes the concept of fraternity beyond religion, race, and nation. Nasaruddin responded by explaining the Islamic principle of fraternity among humankind.
"Both of us smiled, realizing that our scriptures convey the same message: that humanity is above all," said Nasaruddin.
In front of the audience, Nasaruddin also mentioned his plan to meet the Pope during his visit to Vatican, which fell through as Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 due to a stroke followed by heart failure.
When the Pope passed away, Nasaruddin expressed his condolences. He visited the Vatican Embassy on Jalan Medan Merdeka, Gambir, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, to pay his respect. He expressed deep appreciation for the Pope's dedication to humanity.
"We are here to express condolences for the departure of a figure of humanity that we highly respect. Pope Francis was someone who consistently defended marginalized groups, children, the elderly, and the oppressed," he said at the time.
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