Christmas was celebrated joyously on Tuesday and Wednesday as security authorities and other elements of communities helped secure the celebrations.

Celebrations in Jakarta went smoothly as tight security was in place at churches across the capital.

More than 300 police personnel and 63 church staffers safeguarded the Jakarta Cathedral, which was packed with thousands of churchgoers during Wednesday mass.

On Tuesday, Governor Joko Widodo, Jakarta Military Command chief Maj. Gen. E. Hudawi Lubis and Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Putut Eko Bayuseno, paid a visit to the Cathedral to ensure its security.

Jakarta Archbishop Mgr. Ignatius Suharyo, who welcomed the city leaders on Tuesday evening, led the Christmas service on Wednesday morning, emphasizing that corruption and religious intolerance were among the biggest threats to the country'€™s peace.

'€œReligious intolerance, corruption and a degrading environment are three obstacles that can disrupt this country'€™s peace,'€ he said.

Christmas services at the nearby Immanuel Protestant Church also went smoothly, with about 175 police personnel and the bomb squad guarding the area.

The church held Christmas services in Indonesian, English and Dutch.

Members of the Filadelfia Batak Christian Protestant Church (HKBP) in Bekasi and Yasmin Indonesia Christian Church (GKI) in Bogor, however, decided to hold a Christmas service in front of the State Palace to protest the government'€™s inaction after their churches were sealed by local administrations citing '€œobjections from locals'€.

Inayah Wahid and Anita Wahid, daughters of late former president Abdurrahman Wahid joined the service, saying '€œI believe that, as a Muslim, it is my duty to help others get their rights to pray.'€

Thousands of Christians from Ende archdiocese and Ruteng, Maumere and Larantuka dioces on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), flocked to their churches for services.

Performances representing local cultures, such as Flores'€™ traditional songke dance, highlighted celebrations at St. Arnoldus and St. Yoseph parishes.

The embong tradition, in which the statue of Baby Jesus is paraded accompanied by local traditional songs, was held in 80 parishes on the island on Christmas Eve.

In Semarang, Central Java, patients at St. Elisabeth Hospital were able to celebrate Christmas in the comfort of their own beds as some of the hospital'€™s staff dressed as Santa Claus, angels and reindeer and distributed bread as gifts.

Hospital spokesperson Probowatie Tjondronegoro said there were 355 patients being treated there as of Wednesday.

In Gorontalo, Christmas service was held on Tuesday evening at St. Kristoforus Parish, Gorontalo city, followed by another service the following morning. Some 500 people joined the services.

Other congregations held services at their respective churches while dozens of members of the Alfa Omega Pantekosta Churches in Indonesia (GPDI) held a service at the Gorontalo Oasis Hotel.

Gorontalo City Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Supena Wijaya said he deployed seven personnel in each of the 16 churches in the city that held Christmas celebrations.

Previously, Gorontalo Police chief Brig. Gen. Andjaya said that a total of 2,380 police personnel had been deployed to secure Christmas and New Year celebrations.

In North Sumatra, Christmas celebrations were also reported to have run smoothly and securely across the province.

'€œNo security disturbances occurred during the celebrations from Tuesday evening until Wednesday afternoon,'€ North Sumatra Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Heru Prakoso said on Wednesday. (nai)

Ainur Rohmah and Suherdjoko in Semarang, Syamsul Huda M. Suhari in Gorontalo and Apriadi Gunawan in Medan, North Sumatra, contributed to this story.

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