TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – A number of interfaith figures in Surabaya gathered and prayed together at the Santa Maria Tak Bercela (STMB) Church on Monday night, May 13. This was done to commemorate and pray for the victims who lost their lives in the devastating Church bomb attacks that happened last year.

STMB Church Minister Romo Eka Winarno said this gathering is initiated on May 13 annually as a major symbol of resistance against any form of crime, terror acts, or violence.

“As far as I know and met with the bombing victims, they look to have started to rise up. But deeming a person has recovered or not is unquantifiable, but [the victims] have forgiven the perpetrators since it’s considered that [the bombers] were driven by religious misinterpretation,” said Eka Winarno.

The activity, says Romo Eka, is not just to pray for the victims of last year’s three Church bombings in Surabaya. But it is also to pray for the tragic terror attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

East Java Police public communication officer Grand Commissioner Frans Barung Mangera said that this event is held to help Surabaya residents not fear terror. “We must unite again so that we will not be susceptible to ideologies that hurt the nation’s security,” he said.

The deadly terror bombing in Surabaya lasted for a terrifying two days on May 13, and May 14, 2018. Five explosions originated from suicide bombers spread across three Churches in Surabaya. Meanwhile, the following day on Monday, May 14, saw a suicide bomb explode at the entrance gate to the Surabaya Police Headquarters.

ANTARA