St Peter’s in Kuching: A beacon of faith, harmony and Sarawak’s soul

I’ve always been a pilgrim of stained glass. Some people travel for food, others for shopping, a few for football. I travel for light – the kind that slips through coloured windows in Gothic churches and lands softly on stone, as if heaven itself is whispering, “Sit… stay awhile… let Me speak.” Stained glass has always struck me as more than beauty. It is theology in colour, sunlight turned into story, faith broken into gentle fragments so the heart can absorb it slowly.

When I was studying in the UK – and later, tours through Europe – I would duck into old cathedrals whenever the spirit (or cold weather) nudged me. I’d stare so long at the saints in glass that they must have murmured, “Aiyo, this Malaysian boy ah… really loves his colours.” Yet I lingered, always, because I knew one truth even then: light is never the same after it has passed through devotion.

Which is why, during a recent trip to Kuching, I received a gift I wasn’t expecting. There I was with friends, standing before St Peter’s Church in Padungan, Kuching – a neo-Gothic masterpiece rising quietly in the rhythm of Sarawak’s capital.

And then came the blessing within the blessing. Archbishop Simon Peter Poh himself guided us not as a tour guide, but as a shepherd sharing a treasure. He didn’t explain architecture; he unveiled meaning. He didn’t show us a building; he welcomed us into a soul. “Come in,” he said.

So we entered – into a sanctuary where European artistry, Sarawakian spirit, and divine light met in harmony. And before the tour even began, I knew: this church was going to leave a mark on me.

REACON OF LIGHT, TESTAMENT OF HARMONY

The Gothic-inspired St Peter’s Church in Padungan has quickly become one of Kuching’s most striking landmarks. Groundbreaking took place on 20 October 2019; despite pandemic disruptions, the RM38-million church was completed in 2024 and commemorated on 28 June 2025. Able to welcome 1,000 worshippers, it stands as an architectural poem of stone, glass and light.

One of its greatest splendour lies in its handmade stained-glass windows, crafted by Italian artisans. These are not mere decorations but theology in colour – with panels featuring the Brooke crest, Sarawak emblems and Dayak motifs woven into sacred imagery, blending faith with local heritage.

But St Peter’s story reaches much further back. It began in 1937, when Monsignor Aloysius Hopfgartner purchased eleven acres of Padungan swampland for a future Catholic community. From this foresight rose the first church in 1949, expanded again in the 1960s. Nearly nine decades later, the new St Peter’s stands as the flowering of that vision.

Unlike churches that rely on compulsory tithing, Catholic parishes depend entirely on voluntary giving – gifts of the heart, not obligation. Every brick, every beam, every ministry is built not on mandate, but on love. In Sarawak, that love extends across faiths. Many Christians from other denominations – and friends of other religions – contributed generously because they believed in unity, harmony, and the value of building something beautiful for the community.

At the opening ceremony, Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas delivered the address on behalf of Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg. The Premier’s message captured the church’s meaning with clarity: “St Peter’s is not just a place for prayer and reflection – it is a symbol of vision, resilience, and deep-rooted faith.”

Standing alongside mosques, temples, gurdwaras, and shrines of other traditions, St Peter’s embodies Sarawak’s hallmark of religious harmony. “Sarawakians are blessed,” the Premier affirmed, “to live in a land where mutual respect and peaceful coexistence are not mere aspirations, but a way of life.” With quiet pride, he added that the new church “adds further beauty to that legacy.”

What moved many most was his acknowledgement that this church was not built by Catholics alone. It rose from the generosity of parishioners and from other faiths, donors seen and unseen, and volunteers who gave their funds, their skills and their spirit. “This,” the Premier declared, “is a shining model of what shared purpose and collective goodwill can achieve.” To reinforce that support, Unit for Other Religions (UNIFOR) contributed total government assistance of RM3 million – a final note of partnership in a story woven by many hands.

THE RECTOR SHARES

For Rev Fr Vincent Chin Chu Yang, the building of the new Church of Saint Peter became far more than a construction project. It was a five-year pilgrimage of faith marked by providence, generosity and countless reminders that “nothing is impossible to God.”

The journey began out of necessity when the old church was deemed unsafe. Yet as planning unfolded, it became clear that God was building more than a structure – He was renewing His people. Signs of His timing appeared early, including government approvals that arrived in just three months instead of years.

Guided by Archbishop Emeritus John Ha’s theme, “Anchoring Traditions, Embracing Change,” the parish adopted a neo-Gothic design. Parishioners themselves chose the final design from six proposals, embracing a vision that honoured heritage while welcoming the future.

Financially, the task seemed IMPOSSIBLE: RM2 million in hand against RM38 million needed. “God will fulfil all your needs” – became the project’s anchor.

Divine timing brought remarkable partners. Architect Design Practice (ADP), led by the late George Yong Nyan Ted, offered its services pro bono. After his passing, his wife, Irene Lim completed the work he began. ADP wove Sarawak’s identity into the church through Iban shield motifs and local woodwork, blending European grandeur with local soul.

Provision continued in surprising ways. Perbena Emas Sdn Bhd, extended upfront financing and quietly funded the main construction for four years – an act of trust and generosity; that ensured no payment was ever defaulted on the sub-contractors. Month after month, the parish found exactly what it needed, often with a little extra, as though God whispered, “Walk with Me.” The construction was led by its engineer Sim Lim Thiing.

Two Italian stained-glass artisans relocated to Kuching to craft the church’s luminous windows. Crowdfunding across Kuching’s parishes added steady support. Musical instruments, too, were sponsored through grace.

One of the most moving moments came when a long-sought first-class Relic of Saint Peter was unexpectedly secured through a friend and delivered via the Carmelite community in Rome. Many felt that Saint Peter had, quite literally, found his way home.

Yet St Peter’s is more than a church. It is a meeting place of cultures, a bridge between past and present, and a sanctuary where Sarawak’s diversity is not merely tolerated but celebrated. Its very walls bear the fingerprints of generosity from many backgrounds – the Muhibbah spirit Sarawak holds dear.

After five years including pandemic setbacks, delays, provisions and quiet miracles, the new Church of St Peter now rises as a testament to faith and perseverance – a gift to be treasured and used to glorify God for generations. Since its first Midnight Mass in December 2024, thousands have stepped inside and felt what words cannot fully express: this sacred place belongs to everyone, because in a very real way, it was built by everyone.

TWO ITALIANS, ONE TROPICAL MISSION

Long before St Peter’s Church was opened and consecrated, Italian artisans – Roberto Fasoli and Ernesto Raducci – were quietly shaping its soul through stained glass. Drawn to Sarawak through a providential invitation, they brought with them a philosophy as old as the craft itself: if one wanted true stained glass, one needed artisans who lived and breathed it.

Working from a small workshop near the church site, Fasoli sketched and painted each design while Raducci assembled the pieces with astonishing speed and precision. Many panels contained hundreds of hand-cut fragments, each coloured, fired, and soldered using techniques unchanged since medieval times. Modern tools were used sparingly; the essence remained glass, pigment, heat and patience.

For both artisans, their time in Sarawak became more than a commission. The semi-Gothic architecture resonated deeply with them, and they approached their work as a calling to create something lasting. Few may know their story, but their windows will remember.

THE SACREDNESS WITHIN THE WALLS

Beyond its beauty, St Peter’s is filled with sacred features that carry deep spiritual significance – each crafted with devotion, each placed with intent.

The Altar is the heart of the church, carved from marble and adorned with a luminous mosaic: the Lamb resting on the Holy Scriptures, with seven coloured ribbons symbolising the Seven Sacraments. Embedded within the altar is a first-class relic of Saint Peter, linking Kuching’s faithful to the very apostle who once walked beside Christ. Five etched crosses mark the altar’s sides and centre – quiet reminders of the five holy wounds of Jesus on his hands, legs and torso.

Within the altar lies a treasured piece of local ecclesiastical history: the Pallium of Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung – the woollen vestment symbolising communion with the Pope and the shepherd’s responsibility for his flock. The Tabernacle, crafted in Spain, gleams softly – a sacred dwelling for Christ present in the Eucharist. The upper section houses the Monstrance, the radiant sunburst vessel used during adoration. To pray at this altar is to stand where past and present meet, where universal church tradition blends seamlessly with Sarawak’s own story.

Suspended above the sanctuary is a Crucifix that is both global and local in its beauty. Christ’s body, carved from fine basswood in Vietnam, was painted lovingly by a Sarawakian artist – creating a powerful reminder that salvation belongs to all nations. To gaze at the Crucifix at St Peter’s church is to encounter artistry that speaks of both suffering and love. It is a Crucifix that does not scream; it invites. It does not demand; it consoles.

Even the floor beneath one’s feet tells a story: 33,797 custom-made tiles, laid piece by piece to create a pilgrim’s path of extraordinary craftsmanship. You may not look down often, but devotion lies beneath every step.

Around these central elements, smaller features carry quiet but essential roles: the Sanctuary Lamp burning steadily beside the tabernacle, the Ambry holding holy oils, the Angel Stoup guarding the entrance, the Baptismal Pool welcoming new life, and the Shrine of Our Blessed Mother Mary offering a gentle refuge for whispered prayers.

Together, they transform the church into a living mosaic – where every detail holds meaning, and every corner breathes blessing and sacred moments

A GOTHIC DREAM, SARAWAKIAN AT HEART

From the outside, St Peter’s Church stands confidently in Kuching, a pair of tall towers reaching skyward as though calling heaven via long-distance connection. It has the proud silhouette of a European cathedral – pointed arches, strong vertical lines, a façade that whispers stories of old-world grandeur. But step inside, and the magic deepens: this is not European Gothic. This is Gothic with Sarawak soul.

The stained glass feels alive with local accents – Dayak motifs in the borders, Sarawak’s emblem glowing with quiet dignity, a tropical palette softening classical imagery. It’s a blend that can only be inspired, never taught. The ceiling rises not to impress but to make space for the spirit, its arches lifting like arms offering prayers. Warmth, welcome, and a gentle Bornean character fill the interior.

And through it all, the Sarawak sun – generous, sometimes unrestrained – pours through the glass in ways no European architect imagined. The colours don’t retreat from the heat; they move with it. Here, Gothic breathes tropical air and tropical air carries prayer.

UNITY AS A MASTER BUILDER

If architecture could speak, St Peter’s Church would tell a story of unity combining muhibbah and muafakat of Sarawakians. For this church was not built by Catholics alone. It stands today because Sarawak itself believes in harmony as a way of life.

Elsewhere, faith can divide. Here, faith collaborates.
Elsewhere, belief can harden hearts. Here, belief opens them.
Elsewhere, religion builds walls. Here, religion builds bridges.

Walk a short distance from St Peter’s, and you will find a mosque, a Buddhist temple, a Taoist shrine, a gurdwara, and churches of every denomination. They share streets, parking spots, and often the same food courts. No raised eyebrows. No tension. Simply life – lived side-by-side with mutual respect.

I believe that every building has a most beautiful hour. For St Peter’s, that hour is just after sunset in the evening – when daylight softens, shadows lengthen, and the church begins to glow from within. The stained-glass windows transform into lanterns, pulsing gently with colour. Blues, greens, reds, and golds flicker softly like living brushstrokes. From outside, it feels as though the church is breathing light. From inside, the colours wrap around you like a cloak.

Visitors grow quiet without being asked. Even children sense that the moment is sacred.

The building does not need to tell them – the light does. This is when the stained glass preaches its most eloquent sermon. Without words, without sound, it speaks of hope. Of forgiveness. Of mystery. Of the God who calls each person gently, in ways tailored to their hearts. The church that glows with more than colour – it glows with meaning.

A CONSECRATION FOR THE GENERATIONS

When St Peter’s Church is fully consecrated, the event will not merely mark a liturgical milestone. It became Sarawak’s milestone. People of all backgrounds will gather – Catholics, friends of other faiths, artists, architects, tourists and neighbours who watched the towers rise day by day.

Some will come to pray. Some will come in curiosity. Some will come because their aunty said, “Eh, must see this church – very beautiful one!” And all will come because beauty, faith and unity have a gravitational pull.

If St Peter’s could speak, it would teach that the sacredness deserves beauty, that unity flourishes in respect, and that faith grows strong when it is nourished by art, community, compassion. It also invites promotion of inter-faith relations, of mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between Catholics and the followers of other religions.

But its greatest lesson is found in its stained glass:  Unity is like stained glass – not beautiful because every piece is the same, but because every piece is different and still fits perfectly. As the Premier affirmed, “St Peter’s is a shining example of what shared purpose and collective goodwill can accomplish in Sarawak”.  Together, they built a cathedral that does not simply catch the light — it becomes the light.

Yes. Two Italians brought their craft. Sarawak brought its heart. And God brought the light. A church where the weary can rest, the lost can listen, and the hopeful can return again and again to find God waiting in colour.

And as I left that day, with Archbishop Simon Poh’s sharing still echoing gently in my memory and the stained glass still glowing behind me, I realised something simple and profound: I once travelled across continents to find cathedrals that moved me. Now, Sarawak had built one right here at home – and it had moved me more than I ever expected. This church is not just a structure. It is also a symbol of heritage, of harmony, of hope.