For five weeks on Flores Island, 26 parishes partake in processions and prayers ahead of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
By Kielce Gussie
INDONESIA — From July 9 to August 14, Indonesians on Flores Island celebrate a religious festival dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Hundreds of Muslims and Christians came together to participate in processions and prayers whilst carrying a Marian statue to launch the festival locally known as Golo Koe at St. Martin’s Parish in Bari, Flores.
The five-week-long event with the state of Our Lady of the Assumption is celebrated in 26 parishes across the Diocese of Labaun Bajo. Originally, the procession was meant to take place on the water. But due to weather changes, it was changed to take place on land.
Traditional Manggarai—located in western Flores, Indonesia—dances, songs, and rituals inaugurated the procession, while Muslim villagers, dressed in traditional attire, also joined in. They later lined the streets with bamboo to welcome the Marian statue, which Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) described as “a powerful witness of interfaith solidarity.”
A festival that transcends religious lines
Bishop Maksimus Regus presided over the opening Mass and reflected on Mary as a model of unity and presence. He stressed that “the involvement of our Muslim brothers and sisters reflects the inclusive spirit of this festival.”
The vicar general of the diocese and festival chairperson also pointed out that the event goes beyond something religious. He dubbed it “a spiritual and cultural movement of togetherness — transcending religious and ethnic lines.”
On August 14, the event will conclude with a large procession from Waterfront City to Golo Koe Hill, which is meant to be a spiritual and cultural climax for the Marian festival.
As RVA highlighted, in addition to the celebration of Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, the festival highlights the rich faith traditions, indigenous identity, and communal hope, which are central to the Catholic Church’s identity on Flores Island.
