Surabaya bishop dies

SURABAYA: Hundreds of people mourned on Sunday the death of Surabaya bishop Johanes Hadiwikarta, who died on Saturday of diabetes.

Hadiwikarta, 59, was admitted to the St. Vincentius A Paulo Hospital on Thursday after complaining of feeling unwell.

"We have lost so much. We never expected his death would come that quickly," one of the mourners, Trisnantya, said.

A requiem mass will be held on Monday at Surabaya Cathedral, and will be led by Semarang bishop Ignatius Suharyo. The body of Hadiwikarta will be buried on Tuesday in Puhsarang cemetery in Kediri, some 150 kilometers southwest of Surabaya.

Pope John Paul II named Hadiwikarta the bishop of Surabaya in 1994, replacing Aloysius Dibjokaryono. -- JP