Discovering StPetersChurch

There seem nothing special about StPeterschurch in Melaka, Malaysia. The architecture of the building does not look remarkably fascinating and most of the time it seems deserted.

However, you will be surprised when you do some research about this church. You will discover that this was the very first church built to celebrate the restoration of Roman Catholic religion in Melaka during the Dutch Reign (1641- 1824).

St. Peter's Church: The Oldest Catholic Church in Malaysia
Photo taken by Derrick Teh

Earlier, under the Dutch Reign, all Portuguese Catholics were ordered to give up their faiths. Churches were destroyed and faithful Catholics have to flee to the Melaka‘s suburbs and perform their religion practice in great secrecy. All these are done to avoid being prosecuted by the Dutch.

Therefore, I am quite surprised to discover that StPeterschurch was built on a land donated by a Dutch gentleman named, Maryber Franz Amboer.

In formations on the Church construction excerpted from St. Peter’s Church website.

Based on the numeral inscription on the façade of the church, just above the window of the belfry, ‘1710’, indicating the date the building was supposedly erected. Though ‘1710’ is widely accepted as the year the church was erected, a lack of available records has cast doubts on the accuracy of this assumption.

Former Parish Priest Rev Fr. M.J. Pintado writes that St. Peter’s Church was built in 1710. He also claims that for almost a century after 1710, it was the only Catholic Church in Malacca. Wow, I can imagine the big crowd during the mass…

Rev. Fr. Pintado says that most of the information in his writings are from personal enquiry and also from the publications of Rev. Fr. Manuel Teixeira.

In his writings (Boletim Eclesiastico de Diocese de Macau XXVI, June 1939) Rev. Fr. Manuel Teixeira stated that among other things that St. Peter’s Church was built in 1702. He gave no basis for this claim.

As the earliest baptism register found in St. Peter’s Church is dated from 1767, other priests like Fr. Francois (Historical Guide To Malacca 1936) and Fr. Cordon state that this church was constructed circa 1780, after the Rosary Church, (believed to be the old St. Laurence Church) was abandoned. Dr. C. X Furtado (Rally Sept. 1951) gives a number of reasons and even architectural and documented evidence to support the belief that this church was erected in 1710.

You will notice that the Church bell has a date of 1608 inscribed on it. Initially, I find it very weird. Why there is a big gap of 102 years between the building and bell date. Is it taken from the original church building that might be burnt down by the Dutch in Melaka?

The Church Bell with 1608 inscribed on it.
Photo taken by Derrick Teh

Later I found out from the StPeterschurch official website that the bell is believed to have been used in one of the churches in Goa and was brought over here when the church was destroyed by the Dutch. The bell bears this inscription, ‘AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM BENEDUCTA TU IN MULIERIBUS SANCTA MARIA. P DIS B AFES. A. 1608.’

Translated into English this means, ‘HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE, THE LORD IS WITH THEE, BLESSED ARE THOU AMONG WOMEN. HOLY MARY. (These are the words of the Annunciation). PEDRO DIAS BOCARRO MADE IT IN THE YEAR 1608.

At Present

The Historical Church in Melaka, Malaysia.
Photo taken by Derrick Teh

Today, St. Peter’s Church is the oldest Catholic Church in Malaysia. This church might not attract tourist many like St. Francis Xavier Church or Christ Church, but every year without fail thousands will throngs this church to celebrate Good Friday. Some of them come as far as from Singapore, Australia and U.K for this special occasion.

I hope that after sharing with you my discoveries of StPetersChurch, you will be able to appreciate and marvel this church more.

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