The history of Christianity in Indonesia starts with arrival of Portuguese in its islands in the 16th century. Portuguese captured Malacca in 1511 and missioners moved into the region. The most notable among them was St. Francis Xavier, who worked in Ambon, Ternate and Morotai islands in 1546-1547.
After the Portuguese were expelled from Ternate in 1574, many Catholics in the northern Moluccas were killed. The Dutch East India Company conquered Ambon in 1605 and Catholics were forced to convert to Protestantism.
In 1808, the Dutch authorities allowed European Catholics the freedom of worship, which was later extended to local Catholics too. In 1835, the Dutch brought Church under its direct rule paying salaries to priests and dictate appointments. Priests' opposition to this policy resulted in expulsion of all Catholic priests.
Catholic mission work resumed only in 19th century with the arrival of Jesuits, particularly in the island of Flores. Catholics enjoyed freedom to work here because of a 1859 treaty with Portugal. The first ethnic Javanese priest was ordained was ordained only in the 20th century?in 1926.
- Capital:
- Jakarta
- Population:
- 237 million
- Catholic:
- 6.9 million (2.9 %)
- Diocese:
- 10 archdioceses, 27 dioceses
- Major religion:
- Islam 87%, Buddhism 94.6%, Hinduism 0.1%
Now, Catholicism and Protestantism are two among the six official religions in the country along with Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism
Catholics spreads all over the archipelago, but mostly in Flores, Timor, Central Java, Papua, and among Chinese groups.
According to the 2010 census, the country has total population of 237 million people, some 10 percent of the Christians with Protestant forming seven percent. The 6.9 million Catholics constitute 2.91 percent of the population.
Indonesia has 10 archdioceses and 27 dioceses.