Have you ever heard about the oldest church in Indonesia? The oldest church in Indonesia become part of the history of the evolving faith towards Christ throughout the nation for Christians.
Indonesia’s government is admitted about five religions that legally exist from time to time. That makes sense that some of the oldest churches in Indonesia become part of religiousness for so many Christians in Indonesia.
Those oldest churches in Indonesia become real proof of the diversity in Indonesia that come from the religious aspect that is different from the some of the ancient Islamic kingdom in Indonesia.
Are you wondering where those oldest churches exist in Indonesia among the diversity? Here we have some of them on the list below!
1. Tugu Church
Tugu church is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built around 1676 and standstill up until now. It is located around Tugu Kampong in North Jakarta.
Even so, the historical record that the Tugu church was already rebuilt after it was crushed over the Cina Onlutsen accident around 1740. It becomes a part of the history of Catholicism in Indonesia that grown-up well up until now.
Tugu church is popular for the Portuguese church as the one who builds it is a man from Portuguese called Fereira d’Almeida. Nowadays, the church has functioned as the church of GBIP Tugu.
2. Sion Church
Sion church is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built around 1695. It is located around West Jakarta and claimed as the only church in Indonesia, even in Asia, that uses the old material from around the 17 century.
Sion church has a typical building of Portuguese architecture, which was built around Dutch colonialism against the Mardijkers or black Portuguese. The church functioned for those who put their faith in Christ- Protestants.
Up until now, the Sion church is well-known for the Christ of the protestant church. It becomes real proof that Christianity’s growth in Indonesia that grown well within the diversity of the nations.
3. Eben-haezer Church
Eben-hazer church is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia built around 1715. It is located in Sila-Leinitu village of the Nusa Laut in Ambon of Maluku Island. The church is one of the proofs of Dutch colonialism which was built by them.
Eben-hazer church is a type of Protestant church that brought most Ambonese to follow the Christ-Protestant religion as one of the facts about Christmas in Indonesia. The unique thing about this church is the crown that most people believe belongs to the king of Djouw Louwis Pati Sila or king Sila.
4. Blenduk Church
Blenduk church is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built around 1753. It is located around Semarang of Central Java. The history records that the church is already renovated under Dutch colonialism around 1894-1895.
Blenduk church is a type of Protestant church that has a unique design. It represents Dutch architecture, complete with a dome and two spires. Even so, most people believe that the first design is about the Javanese Joglo style before Dutch colonialism change it.
5. St. Joseph’s Church
St Joseph’s church is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built between 1870 to 1875. It is located in Semarang of Central Java, which is well-known as the Gedangan church. The church functions well up until now as one of the places where to spend Christmas in Indonesia.
St Joseph’s church is the only oldest Catholic church in Semarang. It introduce the society in Semarang to knowing more about Catholicism around 19 century, which was brought by the Roman Catholic Church of Father Lambertus Prinsen.
6. Jakarta Cathedral
Jakarta Cathedral is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built around 1890. It is located around the Sawah Besar district of Central Jakarta. It has a unique design of the church, which brings the Neo-Gothic style of the building architecture.
Jakarta Cathedral is a type of Roman Catholic Church which build for the first time under Dutch colonialism in 1825 after getting permission from the General of Batavia. After that, the church was renovated around 1859 but collapsed in around 1890.
Jakarta Cathedral start to reconstruct in 1899. It finished around 1901 and was later inaugurated by Mgr Edmundus Sybrandus Luypen. The church functions properly up until now with twice renovated in around 1988 and 2002.
7. Paroki Santo Fidelis Sejiram
Paroki Santo Fidelis Sejiram is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built around 1888. It is located around the Sejiram village in the Sintang regency of West Kalimantan.
Paroki Santo Fidelis Sejiram is popular as the pioneer of the Catholic Roman Church in West Kalimantan specifically for the Dayak tribe. That is shown in the tradition that Catholicism is the religion of some of the Dayak tribes up until now outside Islam.
Paroki Santo Fidelis Sejiram has been renovated a few times. It even replaced some materials such as the Ulin woods as the original wood from West Kalimantan.
8. Tua Sikka Church
Tua Sikka church is one of the oldest churches in Indonesia that was built around 1897. It is located in the Sikka regency of East Nusa Tenggara, which functions normally up until now by Sikkan people.
Tua Sikka church was built under the construction of the teak from Javanese island. The unique thing about this church is the material they used to construct the church using the original materials from thousand of years ago.
Tua Sikka church is typical of Catholic Church as most Sikkan people have their faith in Catholic Christ. Around the church, you can find most of the beautiful woven fabric that was originally made by hand by the Sikka women.
So, there are some of the oldest church in Indonesia that spreads in most of the Indonesian regions throughout the nation among the diversity. Have you ever visited one of those churches? Which one that becomes your favorite so far?
