"And also inspire all of us to keep living in peace and harmony," the minister noted in a post on his personal Instagram handle @luhut.pandjaitan, Tuesday.
The minister also expressed belief that Pope Francis' arrival in Indonesia is not only an important moment for Catholics but also for all Indonesians who uphold the values of tolerance and mutual respect.
In his post, Pandjaitan also recalled escorting Pope John Paul II to Indonesia in 1989 while serving as Commander of the Special Security Forces.
The minister stated that the time spent while escorting the Pope for his departure from Tasitolu, Timor-Leste, to Medan, constituted the most beautiful moments for him.
Pandjaitan, who was still a colonel at the time, admitted to being amazed by the Pope's demeanor aboard the plane, during which he stayed calm and kept gliding his fingers over the prayer beads of the rosary.
"Seeing that, I thought, is this what is called the behavior of the Holy Father? When he had no worldly desire, only a sincere desire to pray for all people," he remarked.
To this end, Pandjaitan is optimistic that Pope Francis' arrival in the country would bring new hope for a peaceful, prosperous, and united Indonesia.
Pope Francis arrived in Indonesia on September 3 and was scheduled to meet President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on the next day.
On September 5, Pope Francis will attend an interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta and meet with the beneficiaries of charitable organizations at the Office of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI).
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Translator: Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: Arie Novarina
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