Tag: Church

Penang Mainland: St. Anne Church

The famous St. Anne Church is located at a 20-acres land in Bukit Mertajam, Penang. The Roman Catholic church was founded in 1846 and its first chapel was built on top of the hill. The church expanded as years passed with an increase of Catholic populations in the state, with major developments during the 1990s to 2000s.

In 2002, another new church was built which is one of the largest churches in Malaysia. The church was built incorporating Minangkabau element such as its roofs. An avenue named Dataran St. Anne was also constructed in front of the church. Various facilities were also built such as dormitories for visiting pilgrims, parish office, parish community centre and presbytery. In 2006, the church installed the ‘Statues of Passion’ at a cost of RM600,000 depicting the stations of the cross.

The real feast day of St Anne is on 26 July, but it is usually celebrated for ten days at Bukit Mertajam, either on the real day or immediately after the real day. The celebrations include a candlelight procession, a nine-day novena and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. During these days, pilgrims from all over the country, including neighboring countries, will be travelling here.

Location: Google Map

Penang Isle: St George’s Anglican Church

Located in the heart of George Town and the heritage zone, St. George’s Church is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia. Built in 1816 and completed in 1818 on the initiative of the Penang Colonial Chaplain, Rev. Robert Sparke Hutchings (who was also the founder of Penang Free School), the building of the church was done with the help of The East India Company.

The Georgian Palladium architecture of the church was designed by Captain Robert N. Smith of Madras Engineers, a renowned designer and artist at that time. On the lawn of the St George’s Church is the Francis Light Memorial, which was built in 1886 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Penang by Captain Francis Light.

In 2007, the church was declared one the 50 National Treasures of Malaysia by the Malaysian government.

The church is on the corner of Lebuh Farquhar and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling at George Town. The church underwent renovation in 2010 and was reopened in early 2011.

Services in English are held on Sundays at 8.30am and 10.30am. The church is also lit up every night from 7:30pm to 10pm for a beautiful night view.

Address:
1, Lebuh Farquhar, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.
Telephone: 604 261 2739
Fax: 604 264 2292


The Francis Light Memorial, with a marble plaque honoring Francis Light underneath the dome.

Penang Isle: Church of the Assumption

The Church of the Assumption is located at Farquhar Street, George Town, Penang and it is nearby St George’s Cathedral. The Church of the Assumption was founded in 1786, when Captain Francis Light first came to Penang. It remained as the seat of the bishop of Penang from 1955-2003 and it is also a World Heritage Church.

In 1786, Captain Francis Light landed on Penang Island and named it Prince of Wales Island. He set up the Fort Cornwallis. In conjunction with their landing in Penang which coincides with the feast of the Assumption of The Blessed Mary on 15 August that year, he and his companions built a church and named it Church of the Assumption. It was the first Roman Catholic church in the northern region of Malaysia, as well as the first church built after the British landed in Penang. They went on to control Malaya later on.

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Assumption_%28Penang%29)