圣灰礼仪 Ash Wednesday
你要记住，你原来是灰土，将来仍要归于灰土！
Nǐ yào jì zhù, nǐ yuánlái shì huītǔ, jiānglái réng yào guīyú huītǔ!
Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return
Ash Wednesday is once again very close to the beginning of Chinese New Year. Because of this we have been simultaneously preparing for Lent and Spring Festival. This has happened a before since have lived in China, but it is still a little jarring.
This year, the Beijing Diocese recommended that the parishes hold their 圣灰礼仪 in the morning and the Spring Festival Masses could be held starting that afternoon. Also, there were alternate penances permitted in place of the usual fasting and abstinence for the next two weeks. So this morning, not so bright but yet early, we arrived at the Seminary for 圣灰礼仪.
More after the jump
The church felt rather empty, with all the seminarians, students, and migrant workers all gone for the holiday break. But there were yet enough of us that there was still Mass and distribution of ashes.
Even though we heard it only Chinese, it is still a painful but necessary reminder, 你要记住，你原来是灰土，将来仍要归于灰土！
Only the day before, on Tuesday, the kids and I were at a park in Changping, 亢山广场, a large paved plaza with playground equipment, exercise areas, and a hill from which the town can be viewed, or rather more likely it could before all the newer high rise construction. We've walked up and around this hill many times, but Tuesday was the first time we explored some paths we had previously ignored. I had hoped they led us to some sort of back entrance to the park. Instead, they led us to several grave sites. First we saw one solitary mound, topped with a stone, and that was eerie enough.
Then we continued and saw another, and after than came upon more highly maintained collection of tombs.
This is the second time in a year we've walked around some public space in town and stumbled upon some family's or long-gone village's burial space. The internment preferred in the rural areas in this part of China, the tamped mounds, is truly a reminder that we are and will return to dust.
This afternoon, then, we began our own Chinese New Year preparations, like changing the banners at the front door.
The fireworks already began at dusk tonight, and for the next several hours we'll have that as our soundtrack of the season.
Nǐ yào jì zhù, nǐ yuánlái shì huītǔ, jiānglái réng yào guīyú huītǔ!
Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return
Ash Wednesday is once again very close to the beginning of Chinese New Year. Because of this we have been simultaneously preparing for Lent and Spring Festival. This has happened a before since have lived in China, but it is still a little jarring.
This year, the Beijing Diocese recommended that the parishes hold their 圣灰礼仪 in the morning and the Spring Festival Masses could be held starting that afternoon. Also, there were alternate penances permitted in place of the usual fasting and abstinence for the next two weeks. So this morning, not so bright but yet early, we arrived at the Seminary for 圣灰礼仪.
More after the jump
The church felt rather empty, with all the seminarians, students, and migrant workers all gone for the holiday break. But there were yet enough of us that there was still Mass and distribution of ashes.
Even though we heard it only Chinese, it is still a painful but necessary reminder, 你要记住，你原来是灰土，将来仍要归于灰土！
Only the day before, on Tuesday, the kids and I were at a park in Changping, 亢山广场, a large paved plaza with playground equipment, exercise areas, and a hill from which the town can be viewed, or rather more likely it could before all the newer high rise construction. We've walked up and around this hill many times, but Tuesday was the first time we explored some paths we had previously ignored. I had hoped they led us to some sort of back entrance to the park. Instead, they led us to several grave sites. First we saw one solitary mound, topped with a stone, and that was eerie enough.
Then we continued and saw another, and after than came upon more highly maintained collection of tombs.
This is the second time in a year we've walked around some public space in town and stumbled upon some family's or long-gone village's burial space. The internment preferred in the rural areas in this part of China, the tamped mounds, is truly a reminder that we are and will return to dust.
This afternoon, then, we began our own Chinese New Year preparations, like changing the banners at the front door.
The fireworks already began at dusk tonight, and for the next several hours we'll have that as our soundtrack of the season.
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