In just 3 months, Our Lady of Akita Prayer Garden PIK2 was successfully completed an on Saturday, 16 December 2023 it was officially opened. The completion target that is being pursued so quickly is due to PIK2's great desire to present a Christmas gift to the Catholics in December 2023.

This Prayer Garden is not only a place of worship, but also to commemorate the 101 times Divine events of the Statue of Our Lady shedding tears that occurred in Akita, Japan, as well as a place for spiritual tourism. In this area, apart from the chapel with a typical Japanese wooden architectural style, there is also The Garden of Lamd, which is a 14-stop Stations of the Cross and a statue of the Risen Christ, as well as The Garden of Mary, which is a beautiful lake with a statue of the Virgin Mary in the center.

On the left side of the chapel, there is a statue of the Sleeping Saint Joseph. People who visit can leave their prayer intentions in the hole at the bottom of the statue, as Pope Francis often does. It is said that before Jesus was born, God sent His angels to Saint Joseph while he was asleep. In his dream, Saint Joseph heard the angels telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife, and to save Jesus from danger. Pope Francis firmly believes that God relied on Saint Joseph in his sleep. This belief was conveyed in a meeting with Catholic families in the Philippines in 2015, and at the same time introduced a statue of Sleeping Saint Joseph.

Meanwhile, inside the chapel, there are 4 statues. Namely, 2 wooden statues of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph which are exactly the same as the originals in Japan. Carved by daiku (wood expert) Ichiro Urano san himself, using Katsura wood, a wood material also used in the church of Our Lady of Akita, Japan. Currently, it is the only replica of the Statue of Our Lady of Akita shedding tears in the world. Apart from the two wooden statues, there are also 2 stone statues that commemorate Saint Peregrinus (patron saint for persons suffering from cancer and incurable diseases) and Saint Anthony Padua (patron saint for the recovery of lost items. He is also the record holder for the fastest canonization, announced as saint only 352 days after his death).

PIK2 in making the Our Lady of Akita Prayer Garden used high quality materials. The design as made by a daiku (wood expert) from Japan, Ichiro Urano san, who was also an eyewitness to the Divince events where the statue of the Virgin Mary shed tears in Akita, Japan, was done beautifully by local Indonesian craftsmen in Jepara, Klaten and Muntilan. In total, the value of the Our Lady of Akita Prayer Garden area reaches approximately Rp. 250 billion.

Steven Kusumo, CEO of PIK2 in his speech said, "It is not easy for people in general to visit or carry out a pilgrimage to Akita, Japan. The time and costs required are quite large. So from several discussions, the idea emerged to build a church similar to the one in Japan. And also of course the statues of the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph which are similar to those in Japan. The goal is only one, to make it easier for Catholics to worship. Thank you very much to all parties who have helped from the start to the completion of the construction of this Prayer Garden." He also asked for prayers from all the people, so that the two eyewitnesses to the Divine event of Our Lady shedding tears in Akita can fulfil PIK2's invitation to visit the Our Lady of Akita Prayer Garden PIK2, Indonesia, which was built with the help of the thoughts and energy of the two of them.

In her speech, Evelina Setiawan as Corp. Marketing and Promotion of Agung Sedayu Group and also a part of the Catholic community, expressed her gratitude and happiness that another place of worship has been completed at PIK2. Of course, this is not only a fulfilment of the developer's commitment to consumers, but also the most beautiful Christmas gift for the Catholics.

In the future, right next to the Our Lady of Akita Prayer Garden PIK2, the Hawker Center and shopping area are planned to resemble Lau Pa Sat in Singapore. So that people who come from various corners of the country can also enjoy various typical culinary delights after completing their worship.

Hopefully the presence of this Prayer Garden will make it easier for Catholics from all groups, both from Indonesia and overseas, to worship, and will bring blessings to all of us.