Catholic Chun Jie

On Thursday we attended a 9 am Mass for Chinese New Year's. It really is such a bizarre contrast between the odd coincidence of Ash Wednesday and Spring Festival. On minute we are receiving ashes, and the next wishing each other wealth and prosperity. I actually restricted my wishes to peace for the new year, and not because I am opposed to wishing other sorts of fortune, but Zhu ni ping an is easy for me to say because we say it every week at Mass.
There was nothing much different with this Mass except the Sign of Peace was extended. Usually at regular Masses Father Guo keeps it brief, but for the particularly festive occassions, he does extend the Sign of Peace to just about everyone in the church.
After Mass ended, Father distributed Hong Bao to everyone. Myles was particularly excited to get his hong bao from Shen Fu.

In the Hong Bao were a little bit of money and a small holy image. Here are our two.

After Mass were the requisite igniting of hundreds of fireworks, too.