- St. Peter’s Church - St Peter’s Church in Melaka is the oldest functioning Roman Catholic church in Malaysia.
From 1511 until 1641, while under Portuguese rule, Malacca was described as a Christian town with a Roman Catholic church or chapel in every street. In 1618, there were 7,400 Christians in Malacca with 14 churches and two chapels.
In 1641, Malacca fell to the Dutch who, being predominantly Protestant and anti-Catholic, set about demolishing Portuguese churches and persecuting the Catholic population of the city.
Priests were forbidden to preach. What must the local Malay population here have thought about these two groups of Europeans who were so mean to each other despite being strangers in a foreign land so far from home, and both professing to belong to a superior culture?
During the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714), Holland and Portugal found themselves fighting on the same side as part of the Grand Alliance.
As a result the Dutch eased up on their persecution of Catholics in Malacca and a Dutch Catholic called Franz Amboer was given permission to donate land for the construction of St Peter’s Church which, as the date on the bell tower suggests, was finished around 1710.
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Alcoholic Beverages
The origins of Melaka trace back to 1403 with the arrival of Parameswara, a Hindu Prince exiled from the Sri Vijaya Kingdom in Sumatra. Upon his conversion to Islam, he adopted the title of Raja Iskandar and established himself as the inaugural sovereign of this new kingdom, thereby commencing the Sultanate of Melaka.
Over time, Melaka evolved into a bustling maritime trade hub, attracting the attention of various foreign powers.
In 1511, Alfonso’d Albuquerque led the Portuguese to victory in Melaka, initiating 130 years of colonization. The Dutch seized control in 1641, ruling for 154 years. Next came the British in 1824, who remained until the nation achieved independence.
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