Minister, Pope Leo shake hands at Vatican event

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar shook hands and conversed with Pope Leo XIV on the sidelines of the Vatican event marking the Catholic leader's inauguration.

"The meeting with the Pope is not only an honor but also an affirmation of a shared commitment to building the world with a spirit of service, not domination. Love and affection must be the main foundation in building the nation," the minister noted in a statement received here on Sunday.

In his speech, Pope Leo XIV stated that love is the true path of service. He stressed that a more peaceful and just world can only be realized if relationships are built on love, not power.

Minister Iskandar considered the Pope's statement to be in line with his mission to deliver an official message from Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Pope Leo XIV.

In the message, the president expressed his full support and hope that cooperation between Indonesia and the Vatican would remain vital to global efforts to maintain peace, uphold human rights, and empower the poor and marginalized.

"Pope Leo XIV's hope to unite the entire Catholic church in the world as a healing and unifying force is a noble aspiration that is in line with Indonesia's goal of maintaining world peace," the minister stated.

Iskandar remarked that one of the priorities of President Prabowo Subianto's leadership is maintaining diversity as the main foundation of unity in realizing the people's welfare target.

"Amid global uncertainty and ongoing conflicts in various regions of the world, the Pope hopes to offer peace and reassurance to all people in the world," he remarked.

"This occasion is not just a religious ceremony but a moral call for all world leaders to once again prioritize the values of love, humanity, and justice as the core of public service and governance," he remarked.

Minister Iskandar and Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi attended the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican as official envoys of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.