REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON -- Indonesian Ambassador to the Holy See of the Vatican, Antonius Agus Sriyono has invited Pope Francis to visit Indonesia for the 7th Asian Youth Day to be held from July 30 to August 6, 2017.

The invitation of Ambassador Sriyono was delivered when he handed over his credentials from President Joko Widodo to the Pope at the Apostolic Palace, which marked the start of his duty as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Indonesia to the Holy See of the Vatican, Third Secretary of Indonesian Embassy in Vatican, Sturmius Teofanus Bate told Antara Tuesday.

The Pope then congratulated Sriyono and wished the ambassador all success in carrying out his duties as well as in enhancing bilateral relations between Indonesia and the Vatican.

Sriyono had the opportunity to privately meet with Pope Francis for 20 minutes in which the Pope expressed his interest in visiting Indonesia to attend the Youth Day.

The upcoming Asian Youth Day would be attended by 29 countries, with an estimated 2,000 participants, Sriyono indicated.

In the meeting, he highlighted two issues of priority during his assignment which were an inter-religious dialogue and a collaboration to build the Indonesian Archaeological Garden at the Vatican Museum.

At the end of the meeting with the Pope, Ambassador Sriyono asked for the Pope's blessing for the Indonesian people as well as the programs he was assigned for.

The Vatican Museum has more than 1,100 Indonesian artefacts, 200 of which have been restored and exhibited, in addition to permanently exhibiting 24 relief panels of the Borobudur temples.

The building of the Indonesian Archaeological Garden in the museum will be financially supported by the government and Indonesian private consortia.

Indonesia is considered as the largest contributor for clergies, brothers and nuns in Asia, after the Philippines, according to the data of Indonesian Bishop Conference (KWI).

Indonesia has around 10,000 clergies, brothers, and nuns and about 1,500 of them are devoted in Italy, including those who are studying in Rome and its surroundings.

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