Sendangsono pilgrimage site, the Lourdes of Java Island

Sendangsono pilgrimage site, the Lourdes of Java Island

By R. Agus Bakti

SENDANGSONO, Central Java (JP): Sendangsono is a name familiar
to Roman Catholics. It is here that they usually make their
pilgrimages. It is also quite apt to call it the Lourdes of Java
because it is Indonesia's first Roman Catholic site of pilgrimage
and is modeled after the world-renowned Lourdes in France.

Located in Banjaroyo, Kalibawang, Kulon Progo, some 49
kilometers southwest of Yogyakarta, this pilgrimage site is now
also a tourist destination.

Roman Catholics from across the country usually visit
Sendangsono in May and October. May of this year was special
because it was an occasion for Roman Catholics to make a
pilgrimage in this first year of the 21st century. Some pilgrims
have even called their May pilgrim the "millennium pilgrim", an
occasion with its peak on the night of May 31, the day marking
Christ's ascension.

Compared to the previous years, however, there were less
visitors. "The number of visitors is down, perhaps because
similar caves have been built in other regions," one of the
pilgrims, YB Winarto, said.

You can either walk or drive to Sendangsono. If you go on
foot, you will start from St. Mary Lourdes Church in Promasan and
take a 2-kilometer path called the Way of the Cross to get to
Sendangsono.

If you drive, however, you can go via Boro or Jagalan.

History

Sendangsono has become a pilgrimage site for Roman Catholics
because it is believed that the Virgin Mary, Jesus's mother, once
appeared before St. Bernadette and worked wonders on the locals.

This place used to be called Sumber Semagung. It began to be
famous in 1904 after it was blessed as the source of "Holy Water"
by Father van Lith, a Dutch Roman Catholic priest.

Then Father Prennthalers of the Jesuit Order, the first
Catholic figure in Kalibawang, suggested that this place was
turned into a holy site. It was not until 1929, however, that it
was inaugurated as one.

The Catholics jointly and gradually turned this place into a
pilgrimage site. It is called Sendangsono because there is a
spring there (sendang in Javanese) and also because there is a
sono tree ( Dalbergia spp) growing close to the spring.

Estimated to be hundreds of years old, this tree, now very
big, tall and leafy, brings a cool atmosphere to the area.

According to Winarto, a father of five hailing from
Kulonprogo, Yogyakarta, a pilgrim going on foot through Promasan
Church may contemplate the meaning of this pilgrimage along the
way.

"But it does not mean that the significance of the pilgrimage
will be lost if you go there by car," he added.

Indeed, along the Way of the Cross, spanning about two
kilometers, a deeply religious atmosphere is felt throughout,
especially coupled with the presence of green trees on both sides
of the path. The soil, the air and sunshine have also added to
the sacredness of the place.

The Way of the Cross, says Winarto, encompasses all the way
from Promasan Church up to Sendangsono. This is also called a
major station. There are 14 stations along the Way of the Cross
and each has its own story. "In essence, all the stories are
about Jesus," he said.

It is at each station that pilgrims, either individually or in
groups, make their prayer. Although the way is slanted upward,
these pilgrims do not appear tired.

After completing the whole Way of the Cross, the pilgrims
arrive at Sendangsono. Here there are also a few more stations,
called minor stations. Both major and minor stations are built of
stone and the tiles are artistically arranged. All stations are
provided with ornaments narrating the stories about Jesus Christ.

A female pilgrim from Jakarta, who preferred to remain
anonymous, said that she intentionally came to Sendangsono for
some blessings.

"I hope that after collecting some water from the spring here
and praying at this place, I will get God's blessings, especially
considering the unfavorable situation that our country is now in
and the fact that it's the 21st century," she said in the midst
of thousands of other pilgrims in the area.

People collecting water from the spring and praying before the
statue of Virgin Mary is a common sight in Sendangsono. Unlike
before, there are now water taps to facilitate water collection.

After taking some water and washing their faces and bodies and
praying before the cave, the pilgrims usually enjoy themselves,
sitting in front of the chapel, going to a resting place or
simply savoring the beautiful scenery.

Sendangsono is popular with both pilgrims and tourists. For
the latter, the peacefulness of the place, its cool weather and
beautiful panorama are a great treat, especially because in this
area there are artistically constructed buildings.

The chapels in Sendangsono, intended, among other things, for
religious services, choir rehearsals and meditation, form a
harmonious unity with the surrounding nature in the hilly Menoreh
area, some 900 meters above sea level. Terraced land lends
further harmony to the presence of the chapels in this area.

The building of these chapels is inseparable from the late YB
Mangunwijaya, better known as Romo Mangun, because it was he who
designed them.

These chapels are prominently Javanese in their architecture.
As they are located in the Menoreh area, cool weather usually
prevails.

Pilgrims who wish to spend a night in Sendangsono can find
lodging around the area. If they want souvenirs they can call
into the locals' houses where they can usually buy, for example,
crosses, statues of the Virgin Mary and candles.

Winarto said that around Sendangsono there are also many
interesting tourist objects, such as Puncak Suroloyo, the peak of
Menoreh.

"If you are there you can see beautiful panoramas, like those
at Borobudur Temple," he said, adding that the way to the top was
just the same as the one taken to Sendangsono. You must be
careful, though, because the path is narrow, he warned, adding
that it suited mountain climbers better.

Other tourist objects include Kiskendo Cave, the grave of Nyi
Ageng Serang and Kalibawang, a site for agrotourism. All these
places are located in the northern part of the Menoreh hills.