Mass Under the Flores Sky: Congregation Prays Devoutly After M 7.7 Earthquake
A number of churches in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), held Sunday Mass outdoors. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure against aftershocks after a magnitude (M) 7.7 earthquake shook Flores on Saturday (15/8/2026).
Mass was still held even though the church buildings remained intact. However, church officials chose to hold services outdoors to mitigate the risk posed by aftershocks.
One of the churches that held worship outdoors today was the Maria Bunda Segala Bangsa (MBSB) Waeksambi Parish Church in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, NTT. The church in Kisol, East Manggarai, NTT, did the same.
“Because the post-earthquake conditions from yesterday are not yet fully conducive,” said the parish priest of MBSB Waeksambi, Father Dominikus Risno Maden, on Sunday.
He said the two-storey church building structure was considered vulnerable to earthquake impacts. For that reason, today’s Mass was held outdoors.
“Moreover, the structure of the Wae Sambi Parish Church building is multi-storey,” said Risno.
Sunday worship at the MBSB Waeksambi parish church was held in the courtyard in front of the statue of Mother Mary. The location is exactly on the west side of the church. This morning, hundreds of Catholic parishioners were observed attending the outdoor Mass.
It is known that an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 shook the Flores region of NTT on Saturday morning (15/8/2026). The epicentre was located at sea at a depth of 15 kilometres, approximately 38 kilometres northeast of Mbay, Nagekeo, NTT. The tremors were strongly felt in several areas of NTT, NTB, and as far as South Sulawesi.
The earthquake that shook Labuan Bajo caused damage to a number of buildings, including resorts and a four-star hotel. Hotel guests rushed outside while coastal residents flocked to leave their homes for fear of a tsunami.
As of last night, there were 47 fatalities, dozens of people injured, and other victims still buried. The victims were spread across several areas affected by the earthquake in Flores.