The government of East Nusa Tenggara Province will provide two ships to transport thousands of Catholic pilgrims free of charge to the town of Larantuka.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Thousands of Catholic pilgrims across Indonesia are gearing up for the celebration of the Holy Week, popularly known as "Semana Santa," in Larantuka, a town in East Flores District in East Nusa Tenggara Province.

Semana Santa, or the Holy Week, in Larantuka is the annual commemoration of the Passion of Jesus Christ, celebrated by Catholic religious brotherhoods and fraternities that perform penance processions on the streets of the town during the week immediately before Easter.

Currently, pilgrims across the country are ready to leave for Larantuka, but the town does not have a commercial airport, so they have to take flights from Jakarta or Denpasar, either to Maumere or Kupang and then use means of land and sea transportation to reach Larantuka.

The government of East Nusa Tenggara Province will provide two ships to transport thousands of Catholic pilgrims free of charge to the town of Larantuka.

"This year, the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) provincial government will provide two ships to transport the pilgrims free of charge from Kupang to Larantuka," NTT Social Welfare Bureau Chief Barthol Badar remarked in Kupang on Friday.

According to Badar, the pilgrims can use the free-of-charge sea transportation facility after registering at the provincial committee or at the churches in the city of Kupang and the surrounding areas.

Of the two ships provided by the local government, one will depart from the Bolok Port, while the other one will set sail from the Atapupu Port on the same day on April 12, 2017, at noon to Larantuka.

The ship departing from Bolok Port will transport the pilgrims from Kupang City and the districts of Kupang, Timor-Tengah-Selatan, and Rote Ndao, while the one from Atapupu Port will carry the pilgrims from the districts of Belu, Timor-Tengah-Utara, and Malaka.

In addition, the East Nusa Tenggara Police will send around 150 personnel to Larantuka to ensure security during the Semana Santa procession that will start on Apr 12 until the Easter Sunday on April 16, 2017.

Larantuka is known especially for its Holy Week traditions, or Semana Santa.

The celebration of Holy Week regarding popular piety relies almost exclusively on the processions of the brotherhoods or fraternities.

Every year, the week before Easter Sunday, the town of Larantuka, East Flores, solemnly celebrates the Holy Week, and this year, the series of prayers and processions take place from Apr 12 to 16.

During this special week, the small town of Larantuka will be thronged by thousands of Catholic pilgrims, coming not only from the surrounding islands in Flores but also from Java, Bali, and across Indonesia who will be joined by several international tourists.

This is because of Larantukas unique commemoration of Holy Week that blends Old Portuguese devotion with local tradition originating from the 16th century.

Pilgrims from around Flores and Indonesia visit Larantuka to pray and participate in this one-of-a-kind procession.

The Semana Santa will commence with the Rabu Trewa, or Shackled Wednesday, on the mid-Easter week.

On this day, congregations gather in chapels and pray, remembering the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot that led to Jesus arrest, shackling, and crucifixion.

This is the time when the town of Larantuka transforms into the town of mourning; a time when it drowns into solemnity and reflection for the purification of the soul.

In the afternoon of Maundy Thursday, devotees enact the "tikam turo" ritual to prepare the route for the following days seven-kilometer procession, by planting candles along the route.

At the Chapel of Tuan Ma, or Virgin Mary, the casket that has been sealed for a year is carefully opened by the Conferia and the statue of Virgin Mary is bathed and then dressed in mourning clothes, or a piece of black or purple, or blue velvet coat.

The peak of the rituals falls on Good Friday, or the Sesta Vera. The door of the chapel of Tuan Ma and Tuan Ana, or Jesus and the Virgin Mary, opens at 10 in the morning.

The Good Friday procession is highlighted with the ritual of carrying the statue of the body of Jesus Christ, placing Jesus at the center of the ritual and placing Mother Mary at the center of attention, as the mourning mother, or Mater Dolorosa.

The Sabtu Santo, or Holy Saturday, and the Minggu Paskah, or Easter Sunday, follow the subsequent days, marking the end of the entire Easter week procession.

All hotels, accommodations, and homestays in the town of Larantuka have been fully booked ahead of Good Friday on April 16, 2017.

"They have all been fully booked; the hotels, accommodations, and even the homestays," East Flores Culture and Tourism Office Chief Andreas Ratu Kedang remarked in Kupang recently.

Pilgrims from across the country and abroad are ready to arrive in Larantuka to solemnly celebrate the Holy Week.(*)

Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017