By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, May 15: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) plans to promote St Peter’s Church Padungan as one of the tourism attractions in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026 following an official visit by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Dato SriTiong King Sing yesterday.
According to a social media post by the church today, Tiong, together with officers from the ministry, paid an official visit to the church yesterday (May 14) and was formally received by Rector Fr Vincent Chin upon arrival.
During the visit, Tiong expressed interest in promoting St Peter’s Church Padungan as part of Malaysia’s tourism offerings for Visit Malaysia 2026, recognising the church’s cultural, historical and spiritual significance within the community.
“The recognition reflects the church’s cultural, historical, and spiritual significance within the community,” the church said in the post.
The church community also expressed appreciation for the visit and said it looks forward to welcoming visitors from near and far to experience the heritage, faith and hospitality of St Peter’s Church Padungan.
St Peter’s Church traces its roots back to 1937 when seven acres of swampland in Padungan were purchased by Monsignor Aloysius Hopfgartner to support the growth of the local Catholic community in Kuching.
Construction of the church was later initiated and completed in December 1949. As the Catholic congregation expanded, the church underwent several developments and extensions in the 1960s to accommodate the growing number of worshippers.
Over the decades, the church became one of Kuching’s prominent Roman Catholic landmarks, serving generations of parishioners through religious services, community activities and cultural celebrations.
To cater to modern needs and its growing parish community, a major redevelopment project was later carried out.
The RM38-million Gothic-inspired church, which can accommodate up to 1,000 parishioners, was officially opened in June 2025.
Among its notable architectural features are handcrafted stained glass windows designed by Italian craftsmen, including artworks incorporating the Brooke family crest and the Sarawak emblem, alongside local Dayak motifs that reflect Sarawak’s multicultural heritage and history.
Today, St Peter’s Church stands as both a spiritual centre and an architectural landmark in Kuching, blending Catholic heritage with Sarawak’s unique cultural identity. — DayakDaily
