AICIS: amidst Christian Churches in Manado

Between 2-6 September 2015 I was a plenary speaker at AICIS, the Annual International Conference of Islamic Studies in Manado. Before the actual conference I made an 'inter-religious tour' through Manado with Bob Hefner (Boston) and Amin Abdullah (Yogyakarta). The most spectacular moment in this trip was a visit to the 'flying Jesus', or more peecise the statue of some 25 metre high of 'Jesus blesses the town of Manado' built quite recently by order of the Protestant engineer and real estate developer Ciputra (born in Poso, Chinese origin as Tjjie Tjin Hoan, no 23 on Forbes list of rich Indonesians) who wants to build a Citra Town, a Town of Blessing, along the ring road of Manado.

Jesus is not so visible as the statues in Rio de Janeiro or Dili, but only from the road where quite a few trees and more hills make it somewhat difficult to see the statue. Near the entrance of the codominium also seven horses are built and a smaller copy of the Big Ben of London. Father Yong Ohoitimur told me that there are also 14 chapels as a way of the cross. The Protestant Ciputra had asked the Catholic bishop the bless the statue by way of opening ceremony. Apparently Catholics are closer to this kind of statues than Protestants!

From my hotel room I could see the enlargement of a Catholic Church (not the Cathedral), with the Dome on the choir, back of the church from street position. It is still under contrsuction. This first morning we also saw the enlargement of the Catholic Cathedral, with bright painted windows, a new tradition since about 20 years in Indonesia.

Above higher one of the windows of the Catholic cathedral. The the front of the Pentecostal church only some fifty further in the sa,me street with its big dome above the entrance and a bright painted glass window, very visible at night.

Back to the real estate and the blessing by Jesus: right is Prof. Amin Abdullah of Yogyakarta UIN and in the middle Bon Hefner of Boston University, together with me blessed by the Manado Jesus.