TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The Indonesian government has appealed to television stations to broadcast the Maghrib adhan, or the Muslim call to prayer, as running text during the live broadcast of the Mass led by Pope Francis at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Jakarta on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
The appeal was conveyed in a letter signed by the Directors General of Catholic Affairs and Islamic Affairs at the Religious Affairs Ministry. to the Directorate General of Postal and Information Services at the Ministry of Communication and Information on September 1, 2024.
As per a copy of the letter obtained by Antara on Tuesday evening, September 3, 2024, the government urged all national television stations to provide uninterrupted live coverage of the Mass led by Pope Francis.
“The Ministry of Religious Affairs recommends that the Mass led by Pope Francis on September 5, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Western Indonesia Time (WIB) be broadcast live without interruption on all national television stations,” stated the letter signed by Director General of Catholic Affairs Suparman and Director General of Islamic Affairs Kamaruddin Amin.
To ensure the Maghrib call to prayer is broadcast during the Mass, the Ministry of Religious Affairs requested that the call be displayed as running text on television screens.
The appeal was issued following a request from the Visiting Committee of the Holy Father Pope Francis to the Ministry of Religious Affairs to facilitate communication between religious organizations regarding the broadcast of the Maghrib call to prayer during the Mass.
Previously, Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas emphasized that the visit of the Supreme Leader of the Catholic Church should be interpreted as a desire to foster peace among religious communities. He invited the Indonesian people to demonstrate unity, togetherness, and mutual understanding. “We hope that he will witness how diversity is well-maintained in Indonesia,” Yaqut said.
ANTARA
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