JAKARTA: Pope Francis on Thursday appealed for Catholics in Indonesia to engage with people from other faiths in a message of religious unity to an open-air stadium mass of nearly 80,000 people. "I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness... and be builders of unity and peace," he told devotees in capital Jakarta.
The pontiff arrived for the mass in a tactical vehicle built by an Indonesian state-run defence company.
Religious unity was the key theme of his three-day visit to Indonesia. Earlier on Thursday he signed a declaration with the grand imam of Jakarta's Istiqlal Mosque.
The mass was the final act of a packed first stop on the longest trip of his papacy as he tried to energise the local faithful who represent around three percent of Indonesia's population.
The gruelling 12-day tour will head to Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore when he departs Jakarta on Friday.
Devotees poured into the stadium compound hours early after arriving on packed buses, many wearing pope t-shirts and taking group photos with the huge structure in the background.
ndonesian Catholics had trekked far and wide to catch a glimpse of their man where locals would usually be cheering for the national team.
Groups had arrived at the stadium on packed buses hours early, many wearing customised Pope t-shirts and taking group photos with the huge structure in the background.
A father from the island of Sulawesi in central Indonesia pushed his child, who waved to the gathered crowds, in a wheelchair towards the stadium.
"We're from Manado!" the boy said, referring to the city in Sulawesi.
Authorities in traffic-clogged Jakarta had told residents to work from home or use public transportation because of the large crowds expected in the capital.
Around the country, Catholic groups who did not secure invitations to the event were holding masses at their churches. But Yunita Vindy, 27, could not believe her luck in getting the chance to watch the Pope from the stadium's bleachers.
"Since yesterday I thought when looking at Instagram and Twitter... is it true? I mean, that's the dream of everyone," she said after travelling from the Javan city of Yogyakarta. "But I am grateful that it came true for me." - AFP
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