December 26, 2025 | 09:28 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Christmas Eve 2025 procession at the Jakarta Cathedral Church drew thousands of worshipers across four sessions, concluding on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, 2025. The worship services proceeded smoothly despite a bout of bad weather during one of the afternoon masses.
Susyana Suwadie, the Head of Public Relations at the Jakarta Cathedral Church, explained that attendance numbers varied by session. The Pontifical Mass at 08:30 Western Indonesian Time (WIB) saw approximately 3,000 to 3,500 people, while the family mass at 11:00 WIB drew about 2,000 to 2,500 worshipers.
"Meanwhile, the special elderly mass at 16:00 WIB was attended by approximately 1,000 people," she said when met at the Jakarta Cathedral Church on Thursday night, December 25, 2025.
The evening mass at 18:00 WIB was one of the busiest sessions, with an estimated attendance of 2,000 to 2,500 people. To accommodate the large crowd, the church opened the main hall as well as Plaza Maria and Graha Pemuda.
Susyana noted that heavy rain and strong winds hit during the 18:00 WIB mass. This forced worshipers in the Plaza Maria area to move to a sheltered location. "The worshipers followed the officers' instructions so the mass could still be completed smoothly," she said.
Susyana stated that the management will evaluate the event now that the processions are over, focusing on capacity and comfort. The review will look at the arrangement of spaces, weather plans, and crowd control for future high-attendance masses.
The 2025 Christmas celebrations followed the national theme set by the Indonesian Church Fellowship (PGI) and the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI): "God is Present to Save Families." Taken from the Gospel of Matthew 1:21-24, this theme served as the foundation for this year's worship.
The Chair of PGI, Pastor Jacklevyn Manuputty, stated that the theme reflects concerns about the struggles of modern families. He noted that economic pressure, online loan traps, gambling, domestic violence, and rising divorce rates are damaging family life.
Through the 2025 Christmas celebration, PGI and KWI are urging churches to support families in need, regardless of their denomination. The story of Jesus’ birth into the family of Mary and Joseph is seen as proof that the message of salvation grows within the home.
Dede Leni Mardianti contributed to the report
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