Domes resembling leaves adorn this sacred space. That is the iconic Gereja Katolik Kristus Raja. This church stands as a testament to faith art and community in Jakarta. Let’s uncover the story of this remarkable church.
Gereja Kristus Raja is more than just a building. It is a vibrant center of Catholic life in the Pejompongan area of Central Jakarta. It serves as the main church for the Parish of Pejompongan within the Archdiocese of Jakarta. Diocesan priests of the Archdiocese of Jakarta manage Gereja Kristus Raja.
Initially the community consisted of civil servants residing in the new Pejompongan area. These residents organized gatherings worship and pastoral activities. Pejompongan was then part of the Santa Theresia Church. Services were held in a civil servant’s home on Jalan Danau Poso. They also took place on Jalan Danau Maninjau. For about five years the community used a hall at the dr. Mintohardjo Naval Hospital for worship.
In 1964 the Department of Public Works secured land for a church. Ir. Bian Poen and Ir. F.X. Marsudi began the church’s construction. By Easter 1967 the building was ready for use. In 1968 Pejompongan became its own parish. Adrianus Djajasepoetra S.J. the Archbishop of Jakarta made the decision. The parish was managed by priests from the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary CICM. R.P. Clemens Scherus C.I.C.M. became the first pastor. At that time there were two worship centers one in Pejompongan and one in Slipi. Pastors Schreus and Jan Gerrits C.I.C.M. lived on Jalan Bendungan Asahan.
Renovations finished in 1970. Almost all of the structure was made of wood. In 1972 Paroki Kristus Raja was officially established by Archbishop Leo Soekoto S.J. R.P. Piet van der Krabben C.I.C.M. served as the parish priest. Since 2004 diocesan priests from the Archdiocese of Jakarta have served here.
The original building was prone to flooding. It was close to a drainage canal leading to the Krukut River. In 2008 plans began for a new building. Construction began in late December 2010. Sindhu Hadiprana was the architect. The old church was about 37 years old. The construction cost between 18 and 25 billion rupiah. During construction the community worshipped in a Protestant church GPIB Anugerah.
The new Gereja Kristus Raja opened on Christmas Eve in 2012. In 2013 it hosted the closing of the annual Indonesian Bishops Conference KWI. In 2017 the church held a liturgical exhibition.
Gereja Kristus Raja is also known as the leaf church. Its roof resembles a leaf designed by Ir. Josef W. Arga Setya. The ceramic floors were designed by F. X. Widayanto. Widayanto also created the Stations of the Cross. The main cross behind the altar is an eight-meter-tall teak tree. I Wayan Winten a Hindu artist carved the image of Jesus directly into the tree. The statues of the Virgin Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus follow the same method.
Gunawan a Buddhist artist created the pews and altar legs. Yani Mariani Sastranegara designed the tabernacle. She depicted the Ark of the Covenant during the Israelites’ desert journey. The tabernacle features tongues of fire representing God’s appearance to Moses in the burning bush. Yani also designed the baptismal font and altar legs with wijaya kusuma flower decorations. Outside stands a bronze statue of the Virgin Mary by Teguh Ostenrik. The church bell weighs over 200 kilograms. It bears the palindromic inscription Sator Arepo Tenet Opera Rotas. It means The Father is my refuge who lovingly cares for my life.
Gereja Kristus Raja holds daily and weekly masses. Daily mass is at 6:00 AM in the Chapel of Saint John XXIII in Indonesian. Weekly mass is on Saturday at 5:30 PM in Indonesian. On Sundays there are three masses. These are at 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM in Indonesian. The English mass is at 11:30 AM. Gereja Kristus Raja blends architectural beauty artistic collaboration and spiritual devotion. Its story reflects Jakarta’s diverse community.