Indonesians celebrate Eid al-Fitr with interfaith unity and national solidarity

Apr 02, 2025

By Mathias Hariyadi
Celebrated locally as Lebaran, Eid al-Fitr has become more than a religious holiday in Indonesia—it is a national moment where people from all social strata dissolve barriers and embrace a shared national identity.

This spirit of horizontal harmony is expressed through the open exchange of visits among families, friends, colleagues, and even political and religious leaders.

In Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto hosted an open house at the State Palace on the first day of Eid, continuing a national tradition. 

Citizens “from all walks of life” were welcomed by the president. Guests greeted him personally and were treated to a selection of traditional dishes provided free of charge by the palace.

Interfaith gestures were evident across the country. In West Java, Bishop Antonius Bunjamin Subianto of Bandung and fellow Catholic clergy paid a courtesy visit to West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, a Muslim leader known for his advocacy of interreligious harmony.

Jakarta Cathedral once again demonstrated solidarity by offering its parking space for Muslim worshippers attending Eid prayers at the nearby Istiqlal Mosque.

Today, Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo of Jakarta made a courtesy visit to the Minister for Religious Affairs, Prof. Nazaruddin Umar, at his official residence in South Jakarta. The two hugged each other while delivering chit-chat as scores of other people also visited the host.

In Yogyakarta’s Pugeran Parish, Parish Priest Sukendar and the Abdi Kristus nuns joined the Muslim community in solemnly observing the Eid prayer procession and later extended their greetings following the prayers.

Similar scenes unfolded in other regions. In Manado, North Sulawesi, Father Aloysius Wenseslaus Maweikere of St. Michael’s Church in Perkamil Parish greeted the Muslim community after leading his morning Mass. 

“We do this after our daily morning Mass,” he told the audience. He was accompanied by Father Theo Palit, Brother Ivan Pepende, and local Catholic faithful.

At the grassroots level, in neighborhoods like the Peruri Complex in Ciledug, Tangerang City, dozens of people from different religious backgrounds gathered in the neighborhood streets to shake hands and exchange apologies.

Eid al-Fitr continues to transcend religious boundaries, serving as a moment of unity—where people, regardless of differences, come together as one nation. 

For many, it is a time when the social barriers that exist in everyday life momentarily fade away in the spirit of this Islamic celebration.--LiCAS.news