At least nine people have been injured in a suicide bombing at a church during Palm Sunday Mass, police in Indonesia said.

The attack took place outside the gates of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province.

Wilhelmus Tulak, a Catholic priest who was leading the Mass when the bomb exploded at about 10.30am local time, told reporters that a loud bang shocked his congregation who had just finished the service.

Mr Tulak said the church’s security guards suspected two motorists who wanted to enter the church, and one of them detonated his explosives and died near the gate after being confronted by guards.

He said the attack caused no casualties among churchgoers.

South Sulawesi police chief Merdisyam said at least one bomber died and four guards and five civilians were wounded.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, has been battling militants since bombings on the resort island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

Attacks aimed at foreigners have been largely replaced in recent years by smaller, less deadly strikes targeting the government, police and anti-terrorism forces and people who militants consider infidels.