There are so many interesting places people can visit in Yogyakarta, from Sultan Palace, Mendut Templet, Borobudur Temple, Prambanan Temple, and many more. Among those interesting places, there is one special place near the downtown. Most people do not know about this place and what makes it so special, but for people who love creativity, culture, and youth spirit, this place will satisfy you so much.
Located near downtown, most people know this place as St. Anthony Church, while other people call this place Kotabaru Church, but no matter what call different people have for this place, everyone know this place as a gathering point for youth in Yogyakarta, no matter what religion they believe in.
Unlike other churches in Yogyakarta or even Indonesia, Kotabaru church has a unique magnet which can attract everyone to come to the church. It is believed that youth there who makes this miracle happen. This church is not an ordinary church where youth can’t have their own role in living church life. At this place, youths play their unique role in giving more youth spirit to the church.
If you ever came to this church, you should be able to find some differences you can’t find from other churches. First, the church wall is full of colorful painting when most churches today still use painted glass window. Another unique thing is liturgy music used during the Mass. Most of music used there are composed by youth, so don’t get surprised if you found the music too different from common liturgy music at Catholic church.
Beside two unique things I have said before, another unique thing that makes youth at Kotabaru church different from other youth is their willingness in making the church as their second home. Some people even call this church as church for the youth. It is a place where youth can express their idea without any limitation.
Christmas and Easter are the best moment when you can see the true soul of this church and its youth. During this special time, youths will gather at this church and express their idea. As what you can expect from youth, every idea came from their mind will be a new and fresh one. Sometimes, those ideas are everything you never expect to come, but yet they still come from these Yogyakarta youth. Even though sometimes their idea can’t be totally applied to the church and liturgy because of some rules and ethics they can’t break, everything they have done to the church is still amazing, such as picture made by this church youth as you can see at the left picture. The painting is so colorful, making a great contrast with the white-painted wall. Not only at the northern side of the church, there are also some paintings made on church wall which shows 14 stops of Christ sacrifice. Of course, they are specially made by the youth. At last, everything they give to the church finally give another color to the church.
/// Written by Melisa Natasha Mumek, Indonesia
