Several days ago on Christmas Eve I stopped by the Immaculate Conception Church (圣母无原罪堂), also known as the Shiqi Catholic Church (石岐天主教堂), in Zhongshan, China, while it was holding Midnight Mass. Below are a few photos I took along with some very brief commentary. When I looked inside, the church was packed, and people were singing.
Outside the church, people could be found praying as well.
Some took advantage of the holiday photographic opportunities.
There were at least two children handing out packets of peanuts and candies.
One girl outside was wearing red horns, which I have seen on Christmas Eve before.
Similar to when I visited a church in Quanzhou, Fujian, on Christmas Eve six years ago, there were a number of people wearing clothing identifying they were there to help.
Also similar to Quanzhou, there was a clear presence of relevant authorities in uniform, though far fewer — not especially surprising since this church in Zhongshan is smaller.
And there was one thing I didn't see in Quanzhou which stood out. The recent growth in the use of QR codes to make payments or transfer money was on display.
Long story short, my sense was that that some people were interested in observing the religious aspects of the holiday while others, especially those outside, were more interested in less religious aspects or simply curious. Midnight Mass ended at 11 p.m. but some people were still there more than 15 minutes later when I left after a helpful discussion with one of the assistants.
That's all. Later I will share some other scenes of Christmas spirit in Zhongshan, some of course including the traditional Christmas apples.
Outside the church, people could be found praying as well.
Some took advantage of the holiday photographic opportunities.
There were at least two children handing out packets of peanuts and candies.
One girl outside was wearing red horns, which I have seen on Christmas Eve before.
Similar to when I visited a church in Quanzhou, Fujian, on Christmas Eve six years ago, there were a number of people wearing clothing identifying they were there to help.
Also similar to Quanzhou, there was a clear presence of relevant authorities in uniform, though far fewer — not especially surprising since this church in Zhongshan is smaller.
And there was one thing I didn't see in Quanzhou which stood out. The recent growth in the use of QR codes to make payments or transfer money was on display.
Long story short, my sense was that that some people were interested in observing the religious aspects of the holiday while others, especially those outside, were more interested in less religious aspects or simply curious. Midnight Mass ended at 11 p.m. but some people were still there more than 15 minutes later when I left after a helpful discussion with one of the assistants.
That's all. Later I will share some other scenes of Christmas spirit in Zhongshan, some of course including the traditional Christmas apples.
