Nine Crosses Converge at Malaysia Pastoral Convention in Sibu

Nine crosses that have traveled through Malaysia’s nine Catholic dioceses will converge in Sibu on September 9 as the Malaysia Pastoral Convention 2026 begins, bringing together about 800 Catholics from across the country.

The Perjalanan Salib, or Journey of the Cross, will culminate at Sibu Gateway, the venue for the five-day convention hosted by the Diocese of Sibu. The nine crosses will enter the venue simultaneously through nine different points before being brought together and reassembled as one large crucifix.

The initiative began on April 3, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, when a single structure made up of nine interconnected wooden crosses was blessed. The structure was then separated into nine crosses, with one entrusted to each of Malaysia’s Catholic dioceses.

Each approximately nine-foot-tall cross, decorated with the Bunga Raya, Malaysia’s national flower, traveled through parishes and Catholic communities in its respective diocese.

Cardinal Sebastian Francis, who launched the initiative, described the pilgrimage as a way of strengthening communion, solidarity and participation among Catholics, particularly young people.

He urged young Catholics to carry the mission beyond the pilgrimage by helping others encounter Christ.

“Do the most fundamental thing first, introduce Jesus to others. When you know Him, you will love. When you love, you will care,” he said.

The Kuala Lumpur leg of the journey concluded with a Mass at the Cathedral of St. John on August 30. Archbishop Julian Leow said the cross would continue its journey to Sibu to join the other eight crosses.

“But the journey does not end here. The Cross now continues to Sibu for the Malaysia Pastoral Convention 2026, where it will join eight other crosses to form one Salib. Nine crosses. Nine journeys. One Cross. One Church. One faith,” he said.

The reunion will take place as Catholics from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak gather for the pastoral convention from September 9–13.

Malaysia is a multicultural Southeast Asian nation divided geographically between Peninsular Malaysia and the states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo. The Catholic Church comprises nine dioceses serving communities with diverse cultural and linguistic traditions.

The convention’s theme, “Celebrate, Listen, Walk,” will guide discussions and activities during the gathering. Participants will celebrate the life and faith of the Malaysian Catholic community, listen to different experiences and perspectives, and discern ways forward for the Church.

Four areas of mission will receive particular attention: family, drawing on Amoris Laetitia and Christus Vivit; Church, through Evangelii Gaudium; society, through Fratelli Tutti; and ecology, through Laudato Si’.

The Perjalanan Salib will be formally brought together at the opening of the convention, marking the conclusion of a journey that has taken the nine crosses through Catholic communities across Malaysia.

The crosses will then remain together during the convention as participants reflect on the Church’s pastoral priorities and prepare to bring the outcomes of the gathering back to their respective dioceses and communities.