Vatican Secretary of State lauds Indonesia's tradition of religious coexistence
August 12, 2015
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, praised Indonesia’s history of inter-religious harmony during a visit to Jakarta.
During a meeting with the Indonesian foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, Cardinal Parolin said that the Vatican “has long considered Indonesia to be a good example and a model of peace, inter-religious coexistence and tolerance between groups of different faiths.” At a time when tensions between Muslims and Christians have given rise to violence in many countries, the cardinal remarked that a challenge for Indonesia—the world’s most populous Muslim nation—is “to find ways to respect and accept differences; making every effort not to be violent and aggressive.”
The Indonesian government has long taken pride in its commitment to cultural diversity and harmony. That commitment has been tested by clashes between Muslims and Christians in some regions.
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