KUCHING: More than 4,000 faithful gathered at St Peter’s Church, Padungan on Sunday evening (June 29) for the Consecration Mass — a solemn and historic celebration marking the spiritual re-dedication of the church’s new altar.
Eager parishioners from various Catholic churches across the country began arriving as early as 3pm, undeterred by the heavy downpour that started shortly after.
Despite the rain, the congregation filled the church compound in reverent anticipation of the rare and deeply symbolic Catholic rite.
The Consecration Mass is a sacred liturgy in which a church or its altar is formally dedicated for divine worship.
The rite, steeped in centuries-old tradition, includes the anointing of the altar with sacred chrism, the lighting of candles, and the offering of incense — signifying that the altar is now set apart for the celebration of the Eucharist.
Before the Mass began at 7pm, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Datuk Dr Simon Poh unveiled a commemorative plaque, officially marking the consecration of the church on June 29, by his own hand.
Also present were several high-ranking members of the Catholic clergy, including Bishop of Penang Cardinal Datuk Seri Sebastian Francis, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Archbishop Julian Leow Beng Kim, Bishop Bernard Paul of Malacca-Johor, Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung Hoan Ting, and Archbishop Emeritus John Ha — all lending their spiritual presence to the significant event.
St Peter’s Church, one of the oldest and most prominent Catholic churches in Kuching, unveiled its newly constructed altar during the Mass.
Embedded within the altar is a relic of St Peter — the first pope and namesake of the church — and the pallium of Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung Hoan Ting, Sarawak’s first local archbishop.
The relic of St Peter was deposited into a designated compartment within the altar, followed by the anointing with sacred chrism oil and the incensation of the altar.
These solemn rites elevate the altar’s spiritual significance and symbolise the unbroken connection between the local Church and the universal church.
The two-hour Mass unfolded with a rich tapestry of sacred music, scripture readings, and liturgical rites.
The air was filled with the sound of hymns resonating through the church’s lofty interior, while the soft glow of candlelight and drifting incense created a deeply reverent atmosphere.
At the end of the Mass, Rector of St Peter’s Church,
Father Vincent Chin, announced that each of the faithful would receive a special gift card of St Peter.
Each card contains a piece of cloth with the sentence: “This piece of cloth had touched his sacred relic.”
More than just a physical transformation of the church, the consecration marked a profound spiritual milestone for the parish community — a shared moment of renewal and unity as the faithful braved the rain to witness a historic chapter in the life of St Peter’s Church.
