3/7/2025 Indonesia (International Christian Concern) — Residents who are members of the Arcamanik Berbhineka Residents Communication Forum held a demonstration to reject the use of a building for Catholic worship activities on March 5 in Jalan Ski Air, Arcamanik, Bandung, West Java.
After Catholics held Ash Wednesday mass, the congregation entered a fasting period for Lent.
The demonstration, carried out by the fasting Muslims, caused the church to vacate the church building after completing the opening service for the Easter series due to pressure from residents.
“Initially, when it was built, we did not have a church permit, then the diocese took the method of building a permit to build a multi-purpose building, but Catholics and residents can still use its function,” said the licensing representative for the Church of Saint John the Apostle, Yoseph.
During post-demonstration mediation, the community requested that the building located on land belonging to PGAK Santa Odilia not be used for worship activities, even though the land legally belongs to the church. The church asserted that they have the right to worship there.
The Catholic congregation in Arcamanik, which has 1,400 members, needs a proper place of worship. The church has owned the building since the 1980s and is currently processing the official permit that was submitted a year ago.
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