Jakarta Cathedral - A Roman Catholic Church In The Capital

Jakarta Cathedral (Dutch: Kathedraal van Jakarta) is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Jakarta, Indonesia, which is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jakarta. Located in Central Jakarta near Merdeka Square and Merdeka Palace, right in front of the cathedral stands the Istiqlal Mosque. The Cathedral official name in Bahasa is Gereja Santa Perawan Maria Diangkat Ke Surga (Dutch: De Kerk van Onze Lieve Vrouwe ten Hemelopneming, English: The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption).

This current cathedral was consecrated in 1901 and built in the neo-gothic style, a common architectural style to build churches at that time. The Jakarta Cathedral is a sophisticated, yet impressive establishment featuring cast iron steeples, a red brick body, teak wood shelter and stone pillars. It covers 60 meters in height and 10 in width, with an addition of 5 meters on each aisle. The current Archbishop in charge is Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo.

History

After the arrival of the Dutch East India Company in 1619, the Roman Catholic Church was banned in the Dutch East Indies and was limited to Flores and Timor. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Netherlands fell under the control of the French Empire. In 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte placed his Catholic younger brother, Louis Napoleon, as the King of The Netherlands. Since then, the Catholic Church has been free to operate in the Dutch East Indies.

The Commissary General of Batavia, Du Bus de Gisignies (1825–1830), was trusted to build the first Catholic church in Batavia. Then he renovated the former residence of General de Kock in the Weltevredeen area to be a church. Furthermore, on 6 November 1892, Monseigneur Prinsen blessed and inaugurated the church and named it Our Lady of the Assumption. The church was renovated in 1859 but collapsed on 9 April 1890.

The present church is the structure that was rebuilt between 1891 and 1901. Pastor Antonius Dijkmans, SJ was designated as the architect. But then the construction stopped due to a lack of funding, but the church's new bishop, Mgr E. S. Luypen, SJ, raised the necessary funds in the Netherlands. The new architect, MJ Hulswit, resumed construction in 1899. De Kerk van Onze Lieve Vrowe ten Hemelopneming - The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption was blessed and inaugurated by Mgr Edmundus Sybrandus Luypen, SJ on 21 April 1901. The church was renovated between 1988 and 2002.

A tunnel connecting this church and the Istiqlal Mosque is currently under construction. It is expected to finish in April 2020.

The Architecture

The design of the cathedral took the form of a cross with a length of 60 meters and 10 meters wide, plus 5 metres on each aisle. The main entrance of the building is facing west. The body of the building was made of thick red bricks covered with plaster and applied with patterns to mimic natural stone construction.

The building consists of two floors, the upper floor can be reached from a flight of stairs in the northern tower. The second floor is the place for the choir during masses and the Jakarta Cathedral Museum, housing the relics of Catholic rituals.

There are three main spires in Jakarta Cathedral: the two tallest ones are 60 metres tall and located in front of each side of the portal. The north tower is called the Tower of David. The south tower is also 60 metres tall and called the Ivory Tower. On the Ivory Tower, there are old clocks that are still operating as well as the church bell. The third spire stands tall 45 metres above the roof's cross intersection and is called the Angelus Dei Tower.

On the southern side, there is a statue of Pietà, describing the sadness of Mother Mary while holding the body of Jesus Christ after the crucifixion. The wall surrounded the interior has several scenes depicting the Way of the Cross.

Still, on the southern side, a large Neo-Gothic style pipe organ is standing tall. It was made in Verschueren, Belgium then moved and placed in Jakarta in 1988. This organ was attained from Amby village near Maastricht.

There are three altars in this cathedral. The main altar located in the centre was made in the 19th century in the Netherlands and moved from a Jesuit church in Groningen in 1956. On this altar, there is a main cross of Jesus and the tabernacle.

For Catholic visitors, attending mass at the Cathedral will be a good choice but members of other religions are also welcome to visit. Located directly across Jakarta’s largest mosque, Istiqlal Mosque, these two buildings are the symbol of unity and tolerance among Indonesian citizens.

Aside from being a place of prayer, Jakarta Cathedral is also a worthwhile place to see while in the city. Furthermore, it’s ideally located within walking distance of many city's attractions. Check here for the location!