ORANG KRISTEN ARMENIA Suatu Minoritas Kecil di Indonesia yang Sudah Punah

Abstract

The Armenian Church in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) came intobeing after Armenian traders from Persia (Iran) entered to the country in themiddle of the 19th century and remained here; at fi rst in Batavia (Jakarta),then also in Central Java, and especially in Surabaya. Both their churchlife and their attitude in society were inwardly oriented. All of their priestscame from Persia. An Armenian trading network existed widely in SouthEast Asia and contacts with the mother church in Persia and Armenia itselfwere very strong. Though the Armenian community contributed positivelyto the Indonesian society, nevertheless its closed attitude proved to be amajor weakness. During the colonial time the Armenians received an equalstatus to the Dutch and a number of them perished due to the Japaneseoccupation. These factors caused the liquidation of this community around1960. The church buildings were sold and the remaining members migratedto Netherlands, USA, and Australia.