The GPIB Paulus Jakarta, officially known as the Gereja Protestan di Indonesian Bagian Barat "Paulus", Jakarta (English: St. Paul's Protestant Church in West Indonesia, Jakarta), is a Reformed church located in Menteng, Jakarta, Indonesia.

GPIB Paulus Jakarta
Gereja Paulus
Gereja Paulus in 2013
GPIB Paulus Jakarta is located in Indonesia
GPIB Paulus Jakarta
GPIB Paulus Jakarta
Location in Indonesia
6°12′2″S 106°49′53″E / 6.20056°S 106.83139°E / -6.20056; 106.83139
LocationJakarta
CountryIndonesia
DenominationCalvinism
Websitehttp://gpibpaulusjakarta.org/
History
Former name(s)Nassaukerk (1936-1942); Gereja Menteng (1942-1948)
StatusChurch
Founded6 June 1936
Founder(s)De Protestantse Kern in Nederlandsche-Indie
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationA (1993)
Architect(s)F.J.L. Ghijsels
Architectural typeDutch Rationalist, New Indies Style
Groundbreaking3 January 1936
Specifications
Capacity600
Number of floors2
Number of spires1
Administration
SynodProtestant Church in Western Indonesia
DioceseMupel Jakarta Pusat
Clergy
Pastor(s)Rev. Drs. Jeffrey Willem Christiaan Sompotan, S.Th.

History

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Menteng Church in the early 1950s.

The first laying of the foundation was done on 3 January 1936. The construction was complete within months and the following inauguration was held on Juni 6, 1936. The new church was named Nassaukerk.[1]

During the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies, the Church was renamed Gereja Menteng, ("Menteng Church"). During this period, the Japanese still allowed the Dutch priests to hold a mass until 1943, when the Dutch priests and the congregations were brought to internment camps. The mass itself was still held until it was banned sometimes later.[1]

In October 1944, the Dutch language mass was replaced with Malay language, even though in reality it was still mixed with Dutch language. This condition continued until October 1945, when Indonesia proclaimed independence. After this, The church was renamed Nassaukerk again and the mass resumed in Dutch, but the desire to hold the mass in Indonesian language was apparent. At that time, there were only three Indonesian-speaking priests.[1]

On October 31, 1948, the synod of Protestant Church in West Indonesia was formed. Nassaukerk was renamed Pauluskerk or Gereja Paulus (St. Paul's Church).[1]

Architecture

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Gereja Paulus was designed by Frans Ghijsels of AIA bureau in New Indies Style, a branch of Dutch Rationalism that appeared in the Dutch Indies. It has a cross-shaped layout, symbolizing the four cardinal points. The dominant form of the church is its steeped roofs with skylights on each of the four facades.

The church building contains a spire with four original clock faces, still functioning, topped with a steeped roof.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Nassaukerk" (in Indonesian). Dinas Komunikasi, Informatika dan Kehumasan Pemprov DKI Jakarta. 2011. Archived from the original on June 11, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2011.