What is the Meaning of Pope Francis's Visit to Indonesia According to the People?

Pope Francis of the Holy See will make an apostolic and diplomatic visit to Indonesia from September 3-6, 2024. In addition to meeting with President Joko Widodo, the head of the Catholic Church will also hold a large mass at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.

Indonesia is the first country he will visit in Pope Francis's apostolic journey through the Asia-Pacific region.

Indonesia has previously been visited by two Popes: Pope Paul VI in December 1970 and Pope John Paul II in October 1989.

So, how do Indonesians perceive Pope Francis's visit to Indonesia this time?

Results from a Kompas Research and Development (Litbang Kompas) poll show that a majority, or 41.8% of respondents, interpret the Pope's visit as carrying a mission of interfaith peace, tolerance, and the elimination of discrimination.

Then, 29.7% of respondents see it as a symbol of friendship and interfaith dialogue in Indonesia. This is followed by 27.6% of respondents who view the Pope's visit as a tribute to Indonesia's diversity and interfaith brotherhood.

Furthermore, Pope Francis's visit is also interpreted as a moral call for Indonesia to increase efforts in environmental protection (14.4%) and as a historically significant moment for Indonesian-Vatican diplomatic relations (9.8%).

In addition, 5.2% of respondents interpret the Pope's visit as an appreciation for the Catholic Church in Indonesia.

“The Pope's visit also specifically expresses appreciation for the Catholic Church in Indonesia for its role in sending missionaries to several mission areas around the world,” wrote Litbang Kompas in its report on Monday (September 2, 2024).

This Litbang Kompas survey involved 536 respondents in 38 Indonesian provinces, selected randomly and proportionally. The survey used multiple answer options; respondents could choose more than one answer.

Data collection was conducted from August 19-21, 2024, through telephone interviews. The survey's margin of error is approximately 4.32% with a 95% confidence level, under conditions of simple random sampling.