Australian Ambassador Makes a Pilgrimage to the Tombs of Wali Songo
Jakarta. Australian Ambassador Paul Grigson has visited the tombs of Wali Songo, the "nine saints" of Java, believed to have first spread Islam in the region during the fifteenth century.
The ambassador started his pilgrimage in August, after visiting in Surabaya, East Java, the tomb of Sunan Ampel, who is credited with building the first mosque on Javanese land. Grigson's journey has brought him to the mausolea of all the nine saints.
The final stop in his pilgrimage was the tomb of Sunan Kalijaga on the outskirts of Demak, near Semarang, East Java, which he visited on Tuesday (24/01).
Grigson said that through face-to-face encounters with local people, the journey allowed him to understand better the role of religion in the lives of both Australians and Indonesians.
"Moderate Islam in Indonesia can only be understood by tracing its historical roots, and my visit to the tombs of the Wali Songo has given me a deeper appreciation of the moderate Islam that is unique to Indonesia," Grigson said.
"I have been honored to meet many pilgrims and selfless people who devote their lives to maintaining these tombs."
On his trip to the Great Mosque of Central Java in Semarang, Grigson also met with local businessmen, political leaders and alumni of Australian universities.
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