Pope appeals for religious unity at stadium mass in Indonesia [Video]

Pope Francis appealed for religious unity Thursday as he addressed tens of thousands of people at a football stadium after meeting faith leaders at Southeast Asia’s biggest mosque.

“I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness… and be builders of unity and peace,” he told more than 80,000 devotees packed into the stadium in the Indonesian capital.

The 87-year-old pontiff earlier met Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar at Jakarta’s Istiqlal Mosque, where they signed a declaration warning against using religion to stoke conflict and appealed for action against climate change.

Francis’s packed schedule on Thursday capped the first stop of a gruelling Asia-Pacific tour, the longest of his papacy, that will take him to Papua New Guinea on Friday and then to East Timor and Singapore.

He appeared to be in good spirits despite fears over his health …