Church in Hebei
This week Randy has a three-day-holiday due to Qing Ming, or Tomb Sweeping. On Monday, we drove out of Beijing, to Zhangjiakou, the city also once known as Kalgan. Our main reason for going was to see the Outer Great Wall and the Ming-era Gate that once stood at the frontier boundary of China with Mongolia. However, on our way there, we happened upon a Catholic church.
I usually have on me my Guide to the Catholic Church in China when we are out exploring. I hoped to see a church (or two) in our two-plus hour drive to Zhangjiakou. With only little information available in the book about northern Hebei, I did not think we would see anything unless we stumbled upon any.
And stumble, we did.
More after the jump
We were following our GPS to get to the Northern Gate from the south when we found ourselves unexpectedly at a blocked-off construction site where the road was supposed to go straight on to the Gate. It was there that we saw, a midst a massive demolition site , the unmistakable characters meaning "Catholic Church" in Chinese.
My guidebook indicated that a church stood on Ming De Beimentou Jie. We were on a street called Ming De, and from the still standing gate to what was once this neighborhood just south of the gate, I could make out among the faded characters those for Beimentou, meaning "north-gate-head."
We could not resist going up for a look. A look turned into a woman at the church inviting us inside. Behind the large grey building stood the actual church.
Just inside the church's door, I took this picture. The pews made me laugh to myself. Just like every other small church I have been in in China (including our old parish in Shenzhen), the daily Mass-goers make themselves at home. Books, tissues, cushions, and shopping bags stuffed with who-knows-what sit at someone's preferred seat for every Mass and prayer service.
In keeping with some traditions of Holy Week, the crucifix and statuary were already shrouded in purple. At the Seminary and in Shenzhen, we normally did not veil until after Holy Thursday Mass.
I had some difficulty deciphering the woman's accent since I was unfamiliar with it. I think this church is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Or Maybe the Sacred Heart as well. It wasn't clear to me, and I didn't see any printed material that I could grab to translate at home. My guidebook does not indicate a name, either.
Next to the church was this collection of buildings that I thought looked rather church-like as well. I asked if they were part of the church. Unfortunately, I could not even understand if she said yes or no, or her explanation.
Internet research has not brought me as much information easily either. A stone on the church indicated that it was completed in 1992, but it seemed to me that had to be the restoration date. Something about the location of this church property, in what appeared to be a more-than-a-century-old neighborhood, and the older building in front of it, made me think think there was some Catholic church there before 1992. There were Belgian Jesuits in Zhangjiakou at one time. Lazarists, too. Perhaps this was once work of one of those Orders. I have to expand my search in the available online resources to include every variation of every name Kalgan/Zhangjiakou has been called in the last two hundred years so I might learn more.
The situation with the Catholics is very touchy (understatement) in this part of Hebei. I appreciated the hospitality shown us in our surprise visit, but I am seriously thankful this is not the shape of our lives. Once again, I have to ask myself if a Lenten Tim-Tam fast in penitential enough given the history and even more recent events in this area.
Later, I'll have more up about the actual Gate and Outer Great Wall at Zhangjiakou.
I usually have on me my Guide to the Catholic Church in China when we are out exploring. I hoped to see a church (or two) in our two-plus hour drive to Zhangjiakou. With only little information available in the book about northern Hebei, I did not think we would see anything unless we stumbled upon any.
And stumble, we did.
More after the jump
We were following our GPS to get to the Northern Gate from the south when we found ourselves unexpectedly at a blocked-off construction site where the road was supposed to go straight on to the Gate. It was there that we saw, a midst a massive demolition site , the unmistakable characters meaning "Catholic Church" in Chinese.
My guidebook indicated that a church stood on Ming De Beimentou Jie. We were on a street called Ming De, and from the still standing gate to what was once this neighborhood just south of the gate, I could make out among the faded characters those for Beimentou, meaning "north-gate-head."
We could not resist going up for a look. A look turned into a woman at the church inviting us inside. Behind the large grey building stood the actual church.
Just inside the church's door, I took this picture. The pews made me laugh to myself. Just like every other small church I have been in in China (including our old parish in Shenzhen), the daily Mass-goers make themselves at home. Books, tissues, cushions, and shopping bags stuffed with who-knows-what sit at someone's preferred seat for every Mass and prayer service.
In keeping with some traditions of Holy Week, the crucifix and statuary were already shrouded in purple. At the Seminary and in Shenzhen, we normally did not veil until after Holy Thursday Mass.
I had some difficulty deciphering the woman's accent since I was unfamiliar with it. I think this church is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Or Maybe the Sacred Heart as well. It wasn't clear to me, and I didn't see any printed material that I could grab to translate at home. My guidebook does not indicate a name, either.
Next to the church was this collection of buildings that I thought looked rather church-like as well. I asked if they were part of the church. Unfortunately, I could not even understand if she said yes or no, or her explanation.
Internet research has not brought me as much information easily either. A stone on the church indicated that it was completed in 1992, but it seemed to me that had to be the restoration date. Something about the location of this church property, in what appeared to be a more-than-a-century-old neighborhood, and the older building in front of it, made me think think there was some Catholic church there before 1992. There were Belgian Jesuits in Zhangjiakou at one time. Lazarists, too. Perhaps this was once work of one of those Orders. I have to expand my search in the available online resources to include every variation of every name Kalgan/Zhangjiakou has been called in the last two hundred years so I might learn more.
The situation with the Catholics is very touchy (understatement) in this part of Hebei. I appreciated the hospitality shown us in our surprise visit, but I am seriously thankful this is not the shape of our lives. Once again, I have to ask myself if a Lenten Tim-Tam fast in penitential enough given the history and even more recent events in this area.
Later, I'll have more up about the actual Gate and Outer Great Wall at Zhangjiakou.
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