Indonesia
Kepanjen Church, Surabaya Heritage Building
The full name was Gereja Katolik Kelahiran Santa Perawan Maria (Catholic Church of the Birth of Virgin Mary). But since the church sits on Kepanjen street, the oldest church in Surabaya is better known as Gereja Kepanjen or Kepanjen Church. Stood for 114 years, it is actually hardly the first church of the City of Heroes.
Kepanjen Church was built in 1899 to replace the first Catholic church that was already cracked. The church’s protector named Maria Gebborte lied on the curved road of Roomsche Kerkstraat and Comedienplein (today Cendrawasih and Merak street), not far from Tempestraat (now Kepanjen street). It’s been there for 78 years.
Since 1998, the government of Surabaya has declared Kepanjen Church as a cultural heritage building. What made the church, designed by Semarang’s architect W Westmaas, very interesting was more than the one century old age. It’s the beauty of gothic architecture, much like St-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville Church in Paris, designed by Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Lassus.
It had twin tower, stretching 15 meters high with 3.75 m crusade. The ceiling is curved upward, shaping a dome. The left-right side walls were glasses windows decorated with pictures. The beauty attracts many couple to do pre-wedding photo in the church. The church was originally named Onze Lieve Vrouw Geboortekerk, when being blessed by Mgr Edmundus Sybrandus Luypen SJ on Augutst 5th 1900. It was officially renamed to Kelahiran Santa Perawan Maria in 1950.
A great fire in 1945 consumed most parts of the roof. It was completely burnt, leaving only the wall standing. The massive renovation was performed in stages. So the glasses window we saw today was made by Jaques Verheyen during the 1960 renovation. The image design by a collaboration work if three men. Bruder Coenraad, Ang Koen Ie and a glass expert from Malang named Muljono Wirjosastro. On November 2014, the first renovation on the roof has been performed since the installation in 1950.
Up until today, Kepanjen Church is still being used for religious purposes. In Monday-Saturday, the service is open twice at 05.30 and 18.00. For Sunday it was four times at 06.00, 08.00, 10.00 and 18.00. ”On Sunday, many people come. The capacity of the church can host about 1000 people, not enough for all. Therefore we open the service four times,” Fransisca Tutik, Parish Secretariat staff, explained.
When visiting Surabaya, the church is located not far from Monument Tugu Pahlawan (Monument of Heroes). It is by the street next to Surabaya Post Office on Kebon Rojo street. If you happen stand next to the Surabaya Post Office and two beautiful towers were caught by your eyes, that is the beautiful Kepanjen Church!
Kelahiran Santa Perawan Maria Church
Jl Kepanjen 4-6 Surabaya
Phone 031-3551077
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: HAFIDA INDRAWATI
