A beacon of humanity and peace

Lasting legacy: Catholic faithfuls placing flowers in front of a portrait of Pope Francis after the requiem Mass for Francis at the Surabaya Cathedral, also known as the Hati Kudus Yesus Church in Surabaya. — AFP

Pope Francis’s death has elici­ted an outpouring of grief in Indonesia, with tributes in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country praising the pontiff’s commitment to interfaith harmony and his stance on Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

Prominent Islamic groups in Indonesia, where around 90% of the 280 million population is Muslim, and the general public praised the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in public statements and social media posts.