Entrance: The path leading to the Stations of the Cross
The Sendangsono St. Mary's Grotto, located in the village of Banjaroyo, Kalibawang district, Kulonprogo regency, was built in 1904. This old pilgrimage place is referred to as the only Indonesian Lourdes as it resembles the place of pilgrimage in France.
Sendangsono is made up of two Javanese words, sendang and sono. Sendang signifies a spring that forms a small pond, and sono refers to the belief in a type of tree that grows along the edges of the pond.
During the months of May and October each year a large number of pilgrims from as far away as Sumatra flock to Sendangsono to pray before St. Mary's Grotto. Many of these pilgrims believe that the waters of Sendangsono are holy.
Sendangsono is a 45-minute drive from the main road of Kulonprogo. The road is passable only by motorbike and small four-wheeled vehicles that can maneuver the winding 20-kilometer asphalted road.
Near the top of Menoreh Hill, rising some 400 meters above sea level, pilgrims can choose two routes to reach the Marian Grotto; turning left directly to the St. Maria Lourdes Church, Promasan, or another route.
Pilgrims taking the route to the church can join a long procession, singing hymns, chanting prayers and lighting candles, through the Station of the Cross on the left side about 1 kilometer away. Others can see the Station of the Cross inside the Sendangsono complex, 100 meters from the grotto.
In the Sendangsono compound, which measures 2,000 square meters, are two stilt houses, two Stations of the Cross on the left and the right. Two hundred rows of cement pews are arranged to accommodate at least 5,000 congregants, especially during the culmination of worship rituals, thanks to the architectural design by the late Catholic priest and architect YB Mangunwijaya, who reconstructed it in 1974. The site was later reconstructed as the influx of pilgrims increased.
'The stilt houses are provided for those who want to relax after the long procession and prayers. However, no talking is allowed because other groups are usually still praying before the Mary grotto,' said FX Ismanto, 54, a Marian Grotto sexton.
Antonius Sitepu, 34, from Medan said: 'We can savor tranquility and peace while praying here. The solitary atmosphere and shady trees are calming and help us focus on the prayers. This is the second time we have visited the place.'
Yohanes Kartono, 67, an attendant who keeps the pews clean, explained that after participating in long processions and chanting hymns and prayers, worshipers disperse and go to the edge of the water, which is believed to possess healing properties.
'There are 25 spring taps beneath the big banyan tree, which is much older than the construction of the St. Mary's Grotto. It remains to stand strong; it does not show any friability,' added Suryani, 67, who has sold spiritual and devotional knickknacks in the area since 1964.
A 1.5-meter Mother Mary statue has stood in front of the banyan tree since 1904. It has places to put flowers, prayer tablets and lit candles. To the left of the statue is a chapel for priests to conduct Mass.
'Many have visited Sendangsono several times. Most pray to recover from illness, to have a child, success in business or studies. Many say their prayers were answered after participating in the Way of the Cross procession from Promasan church to the Holy Grotto. I see many of them take water from the spring in jerricans to take home,' said Suyoto, 58, a keeper of the St. Mary's Grotto for 35 years.
He added that some pilgrims often spent the night before the Mother Mary grotto or at the stilt houses.
Handayani, 34, said she and her family visited St. Mary's Grotto every year without fail. 'We feel as though something is wrong if we don't. We always pray and give thanks for our unity as a family,' added Handayani, who traveled from Surakarta. She also said that she always set aside money for a donation to help maintain St. Mary's Grotto.
Tamara Evelyne, 19, a student at Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta, said she always visited the grotto to pray for success in her studies. 'My parents taught me never to forget to give thanks for what I have. I come here with friends. I take holy water from the tap, then see a priest to bless it,' Tamara said.
Twenty families living in the area make a living producing candles with Jesus or Mother Mary stickers, statues of Jesus on the cross, Mother Mary, rosary beads, T-shirts with Mother Mary or Jesus pictures with prayers in a variety of languages, such as Javanese, Latin, English, Arabic and Mandarin.
All religious and devotional objects are sold at kiosks. Prices vary depending on type and complexity of craftsmanship. A 2-meter tall statue of Mother Mary or Jesus costs
Rp 2 million (US$173) to Rp 4 million. A string of rosary beads costs Rp 2,000 to Rp 3,000.
Historically, on Dec. 14, 1904, Father Van Lith, SJ baptized 171 locals using the water from the spring at the sono tree, including Barnabas Sarikromo as the first village chief of Sendangsono. Twenty-five years later, on Dec. 8, 1929, Sendangsono was officially declared a place of pilgrimage.
The Menoreh plateau is believed to have been one of the many places in Central Java where one could see the ancient Borobudur Buddhist temple. There was evidence that Buddhists stopped at Sendangsono on their way to Borobudur at what has come to be known as Boro. Today, a Franciscan health center and educational institution can be found in this village.
' Photos by Markus Makur
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