Martin Luther Church (Paramaribo)

The Martin Luther Church (Dutch: Maarten Luther Kerk or Lutherse Kerk[3]) is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname. It is located on Waterkant in the historic centre of Paramaribo, Suriname.[2] The building is a monument.[4] The first church burnt down in 1832. The current church dates from 1834.

Martin Luther Church
Maarten Luther Kerk
Religion
AffiliationEvangelical Lutheran Church in Suriname
Year consecrated6 July 1834
Location
LocationWaterkant, Paramaribo, Suriname
Martin Luther Church (Paramaribo) is located in Paramaribo
Martin Luther Church (Paramaribo)
Shown within Paramaribo
Geographic coordinates5.82357°N 55.15957°W / 5.82357; -55.15957
Architecture
Architect(s)C.A. Roman[1]
Materialsplastered brick[2]

History

The Lutheran congregation of Paramaribo had been sharing the Centrumkerk with the Dutch Reformed Church of Suriname.[5] On 15 November 1741, the Society of Suriname allowed the congregation to build their own church[1] providing it was out of sight of the Dutch Reformed Church.[5] In 1742, Johannes Pfaff arrived as the first pastor.[6] On 2 September 1744, the first stone was laid,[3] and the church was consecrated in 1747.[2]

The first church was destroyed in the fire of 1832. A new church was built at the same location in neoclassical style by C.A. Roman. The church was consecrated on 6 July 1834.[3]

In 1940, little houses were built near the church for elderly single women. In 1975, an old age home was constructed on the terrain.[3] In 1975, the church was officially named Maarten Luther Kerk.[1]

Building
Interior of the church

The church has been built using plastered brick. The mansard roof is laid with slate tiles. The interior is supported by six Doric columns. The white interior is contrasted by the dark pulpit and organ.[2]

The organ of the church was built by Jonathan Bätz and delivered in January 1833 after the first church had burnt down. It was returned to the Netherlands, and finally installed on 3 May 1835. In 2016, it was restored.[7] Johannes Helstone was one of the organists of the church.[8]

On 2 June 1892, a memorial stone for G.C. Steijnis was placed behind the pulpit. Steijnis was the pastor of the church who publicly criticised governor de Savornin Lohman.[9]

References
  1. "Kerkgebouw van de Evangelisch-Lutherse Gemeente aan de Waterkant". University of Amsterdam (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  2. "Lutherse Kerk, Waterkant 102". City of Paramaribo (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  3. "Wat gebeurde er in dit jaar in de maand September". Suriname.nu (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  4. "Monumentenlijst (2014)". City of Paramaribo (in Dutch). Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  5. "De Lutherse kerk". Doden Akkers (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  6. Benjamins, Herman Daniël; Snelleman, Johannes (1917). Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië. pp. 289–290. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  7. "Bätzorgel (1835) lutherse kerk Paramaribo gerestaureerd". Reformatorisch Dagblad (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  8. Leeuwin, W.A. (1964). "Johannes Nicolaas Helstone". Emancipatie 1863-1963 (in Dutch). p. 111. Retrieved 15 March 2021. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  9. "Dr. G. C Steijnis (1848-1891) en zijn strijd tegen de antisemiet gouverneur De Savornin Lohman". Werkgroep Caraibische Letteren (in Dutch). Retrieved 15 March 2021.
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