The Only Place In Indonesia That Celebrates Easter With an Old Portuguese Tradition

For an entire week before Easter, the district of Larantuka in East Flores is full of pilgrims. They're here to commemorate the holy week leading up to Easter—also called Semana Santa—where Catholics commemorate and reflect on the death and rise of Jesus Christ.

In Indonesia, Semana Santa only exists in Larantuka. The Portuguese passed on the tradition to the people of Larantuka, who adopted Catholicism as their own. Semana Santa dates back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese dominated much of eastern Indonesia. Back then, Larantuka was a melting pot for sailors and Portuguese merchants, especially after the Dutch took over Makassar.

But while the Dutch were also behind the spread of Catholicism in Indonesia, they didn’t have the tradition of Semana Santa. Neither did the Portuguese who lived in East Timor.

Today, the tradition lives on, but now it’s mixed with local cultures and customs. On Good Friday, for example, there’s the tradition called Tuan Menino where hundreds of people escort a boat that carries the statue of baby Jesus from the church to the beach.

The peak of Semana Santa falls on Good Friday. The event takes place over the course of an entire day, starting with a parade escorting the statue of baby, and continuing on with statues of the Virgin Mary, and Jesus on the cross walk. We sent a photographer out to Flores to see Semana Santa first-hand. Here's what he came back with.