Real Tolerance In Magelang, St. Anthony's Catholic Church Holds Chinese New Year Mass

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - The Catholics of the Church of Santo Antonius Padua Muntilan, Magelang, Central Java, held a mass celebrating the 2573 Chinese New Year to show the church's tolerance and openness.

The committee for the Lunar Mass of the Catholic Church of St. Anthony of Padua, Ardi Pramono, in a press release in Magelang, Sunday, said the theme of the celebration of the mass was Zhong Yong or living in the midst of perfection.

"The purpose of this theme is to invite all Indonesian citizens, not only Chinese descendants in Indonesia, to learn to stand in the middle. In a sense, they must learn to understand other cultures and religions, other perspectives, and other differences in order to create a society that understands each other. each other. It is undeniable, tolerance is very important today," he said, Sunday, February 6, quoted from Antara.

In celebrating the Lunar New Year mass, the committee consisted of various groups, not only Chinese citizens. Young people are also much involved.

According to Ardi, this is intended so that regeneration occurs from the senior generation to the younger generation. The hope is that this Chinese New Year mass can continue from year to year.

During the Lunar New Year Mass, a group meal and a lion dance performance were also held. However, still prioritizing health protocols.

People who can attend mass are those who have admission tickets. Tickets have been distributed a few days in advance through the head of the neighborhood and the recipient must be able to guarantee that they are in good health.

He hopes that with strict health protocols, Chinese New Year celebrations can take place lively without any fears of contagion of COVID-19.

"We are trying our best, the community and the people have the right to feel happiness that evokes optimism in the midst of a pandemic that never ends," he said.

In this Chinese New Year mass, not only red clothes and oriental ornaments adorn the church environment, the sermon given by Parish Priest Paulus Agung Wijayanto was carried out in Chinese which was then translated into Indonesian.

Romo Agung said that this activity was a way of giving thanks through this Chinese New Year celebration with existing cultures. Thank God for the abundance of Chinese traditions and culture.

"We are grateful that nature accompanies us through existing cultures and through that culture we express our gratitude to God and to others," he said.