Grand jubilee celebrated

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Thousands of Catholics in Central Java thronged the Satria Stadium to celebrate the grand jubilee of the Catholic Church and the induction of the new Purwokerto Bishop, Mgr. Julianus Kema Sunarka on Friday.

Julianus, who was ordained a bishop by Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja, replaced Mgr. Pascalis Hardjasoemarta who died last year.

Among the attendees of the celebration were Vatican envoy Mgr. Christope Zakhia El Kalsis, Indonesian Church Conference (KWI) chairman Mgr. Yoseph Suwatan and chairman of the local National Awakening Party (PKB) and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Noer Iskandar Al-Barsany.

Julianus was born in Japanan village, Sleman regency in Yogyakarta on Christmas day, 1941. He will serve around 63,000 Christians in Purwokerto and its surrounding towns. (45/edt)