More than 20,000 attend episcopal consecration in Indonesia

Maumere, Indonesia, Sep 26, 2018 / 06:01 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- At least 20,000 people were present Wednesday for the episcopal consecration of Bishop Ewaldus Martinus Sedu of Maumere, UCA News has reported.

The Sept. 26 Mass was said at Samador da Cunha Sport Center in Maumere, on Indonesia’s Flores island.

All schools in Maumere were reportedly closed so students could attend the ceremony.

His principal consecrator was his immediate predecessor, Bishop Gerulfus Kherubim Pareira; the principal co-consecrators were Archbishop Vincentius Sensi Potokota of Ende and Bishop Franciscus Kopong Kung of Larantuka.

Bishop Sedu, 55, was born in Bajawa, and was ordained a priest of the Archdioese of Ende in 1991. He incardinated into the Diocese of Maumere when it was established out of the Ende archdiocese in 2005, and has served as vicar general.

He was appointed Bishop of Maumere July 14.

The Diocese of Maumere has approximately 302,000 Catholics, 54 diocesan priests, 102 religious priests, and 36 parishes. Its area is less than 700 square miles.

Though Indonesia is a heavily majority-Muslim country, the island of Flores is largely Catholic. Flores was colonized by Portugal, and more than 87 percent of the population of the Maumere diocese is Catholic.