‘Togetherness in our diversity’: Pope Francis preaches unity at south-east Asia’s largest mosque

Pope Francis (R) kisses the hand of the Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar during a meeting with other religious leaders at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Photograph: Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty Images

When Pope Francis stepped on to the hallowed grounds of the Istiqlal mosque in the Indonesian capital on Thursday, he marked a historic moment in his quest to bridge the divides between the world’s major religions.

Dressed in a simple white cassock, he was greeted by Istiqlal’s grand imam, Nasaruddin Umar, and representatives from Indonesia’s six officially recognised religions – Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism.