Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja, S.I., Archbishop emeritus of Jakarta (Indonesia), Military Ordinary emeritus for Indonesia, was born on 20 December 1934 in Muntilan, Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia. Baptized on 21 December 1934 in St Anthony Church, Muntilan parish in the Archdiocese of Semarang, he was confirmed in the chapel of Salam, Muntilan parish in the same Archdiocese, on 3 June 1947. His parents were Joachim Djasman Darmaatmadja (died in 1973) and Maria Soepartimah (died in 1966). He has two brothers and three sisters.

From 1940 to 1944 he attended the public elementary school in Semen, Salam, Magelang, and Canisius secondary school in Muntilan, Magelan, from 1948 to 1951. From 1951 to 1957 he studied at St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelan, Central Java.

On 7 September 1957 he entered St Stanislaus Novitiate of the Society of Jesus in Giri Sonta - Klepu, Semarang, Central Java, and took his first vows there on 8 September 1959.
From 1959 to 1961 he did his juniorate at St Stanislaus College in Giri Sonta - Klepu, Semarang, Central Java, and studied philosophy from 1961 to 1964 at De Nobili College, Pontifical Athenaeum, Poona, India, where he received his licentiate in philosophy on 25 March 1964. The degree was officially recognized by Indonesia's Minister of Culture and Education on 9 July 1968. 
From 1964 to 1966 he did his regency at St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelan, Central Java, in the Archdiocese of Semarang, and studied theology from 1966 to 1970 at St Ignatius College, Yogyakarta, in the same Archdiocese. 
In 1974 he did his tertianship at St Stanislaus College in Giri Sonta - Klepu, and made his final profession on 2 February 1975 at Sacred Heart Church, Karangpanas parish in Semarang.

He received tonsure from Bishop A. D'Souza in the chapel of De Nobili College, Poona, India, on 11 January 1964. He also received Minor Orders from the same prelate on 12 January of the same year. Cardinal Justinus Darmojuwono, Archbishop of Semarang, ordained him in Yogyakarta to the subdiaconate and diaconate on 2 September 1969, and to the priesthood on 18 December of the same year.

His apostolic activity has been intense. From 1964 to 1966 he was subprefect and teacher at St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelang, and served as parish priest (for several months in 1971) in Kalasan parish, Yogyakarta.
From 1971 to 1973 he was socius magistri and house minister of St Stanislaus novitiate and parish priest of Giri Sonta - Klepu, Semarang. He was socius provincialis and superior of the provincialate in Karangpanas, Semarang from 1973 to 1977.
From 1978 to 1981 he was rector of St Peter Canisius minor seminary in Mertoyudan, Magelang. In addition, he was a member of the 'Commissio de Ministeriis' of the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus; co-ordinator of the 'Commissio Educationis' of the Indonesian Jesuits; and national secretary of the East Asian Jesuit Educational Commission.
He served as Provincial of the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus from 1981 to 1983. 

On 19 February 1983 he was appointed Archbishop of Semarang (the Diocese had been established on 3 January 1961) and he received episcopal ordination there on 29 January of the same year.

He was Ordinary for Catholic members of the National Armed Forces of Indonesia from 25 June 1984 until 2 January 2006 and President of the National Bishops' Conference of Indonesia from 17 November 1988 until 1997.

On 11 January 1996 he was transferred to Jakarta.

President Delegate of the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops, 19 April – 14 May 1998.

President of the Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, January 2001 - December 2006.

Archbishop emeritus of Jakarta, 28 June 2010.

He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI.

Created and proclaimed cardinal by St. John Paul II in the consistory of 26 November 1994, of the Title of S. Cuore di Maria (Sacred Heart of Mary).