On the 7th of April, Indonesia celebrates Good Friday

The festivals of the six recognized religions in Indonesia are celebrated by calendar. On Friday, the country celebrates the crucifixion of Christ.

The Catholic religion in the 16th century arrived on the archipelago at the same time as the Portuguese traders. Protestantism was later established with Dutch colonization. Today, 7% of the population is Christian and 2.7% is Catholic.

This Holy Week is one of the most important events of the year for Christianity. In Jakarta, but also in many cities such as Surabaya and Manado, the Catholic community gathers on Fridays for prayer. Tents are set up around the churches to receive the faithful who travel in greater numbers for the day. Then the families meet to share a moment.

Larantuka, a small town in Flores, celebrates Holy Week

But if there is a place where this Holy Week is celebrated with fervor, it is in the small town of Larantuka, east of Flores. To understand the importance of this religion on the island, you have to go back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese landed in the area in search of spices. The area was owned by the Portuguese until 1851. In the 17th century, the Dutch takeover of former Portuguese trading outposts such as Makassar and Manado brought exiles to the small town. Mixing with the locals, they are developing the sandalwood trade.

Since the 17th century, prayers, processions, and meditations have been held throughout the Easter weekend. Island Christians, as well as numerous pilgrims from the archipelago, come to celebrate Easter in Larantuka. The climax of the Easter celebration takes place on Good Friday. The night before, during a procession along a candle-lined avenue, the faithful carry a coffin in which a statue of the Virgin Mary is kept. This statue that closes the rest of the year is washed and dressed in dark. On Friday, it will be carried in procession with a statue of Christ to the cathedral for Mass.

In 2022, 15,000 pilgrims will follow these processions.