Published December 13,2024
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Indonesia on Thursday opened a landmark tunnel connecting Muslim and Christian locations of worship.
President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated the Tunnel of Friendship connecting Istiqlal Mosque to the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption within the capital Jakarta.
“This tunnel is not only a symbol of harmony between religious communities, but also reflects the spirit of unity and diversity that is characteristic of the Indonesian nation,” mentioned Prabowo.
“Let us together maintain harmony, tolerance, and brotherhood for an advanced, peaceful, and prosperous Indonesia,” mentioned the 73-year-old chief.
The tunnel’s development started in December 2020 and was accomplished the next September.
However, the opening was delayed till now as a consequence of work on the set up of wall ornaments designed to “convey the deeper meaning behind the tunnel.”
It stretches 28.3 meters (93 ft) and measures three meters in peak and 4.1 meters in width (9.8 by 13.5 ft) and is accessible by way of the grounds of each the Istiqlal Mosque and the church, which is also called the Jakarta Cathedral.
The undertaking was accepted and carried out by then-President Joko Widodo, whose time period ended this October.
This September, visiting the tunnel together with Istiqlal Mosque Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar, Pope Francis known as it an “an eloquent sign.”
These two locations of worship permit “encounter, dialogue … a genuine experience of fraternity,” mentioned the wheelchair-bound pontiff.
Urging the preservation of “bonds of friendship,” Francis mentioned: “We can learn from each other’s religious traditions and come together to meet our human and spiritual needs.”
Source: www.anews.com.tr