ORTHODOX BELIEVERS OF CHINA ENTERED INTO THE BRILLIANT FEAST OF THE RESURRECTION

Solemn Paschal night divine services took place in several Chinese cities — Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

In Beijing, divine services of Passion Week and Holy Pascha were performed by Archpriest Dionisy Pozdnyaev and Priest Alexis Dyuka (ROCOR). The services were held in the house church of St. Innocent of Irkutsk (Red Fangzi) on the territory of the Russian Embassy. A large crowd of believers attended the divine services during these days; there were many, many communicants.

Various kinds of kulichi (rich breads), cheese paskhas and dyed Paschal eggs were blessed on and Great Saturday and during the Paschal night. Orthodox faithful came from Harbin, Shenyang, Tianjin, Dalian and Changzhou. “The Feast of Feasts” brought together Orthodox people from various countries. A large number of young people attended the services. Many children received communion during the early morning service on Holy Saturday .

Over 300 people from Beijing’s Orthodox community were present at the Paschal night services and took part in the procession. Unfortunately, not all were able to get into the temple – on major church holidays there is no room for those wishing to attend the service. A particularly joyous Paschal gift for the faithful was the news about the ongoing restoration work in the museum/house church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Embassy, which used to be the temporary temple of the Spiritual Mission, and which, until recently, housed a garage. After an Orthodox cross and bells were installed, outwardly the building began to resemble a real Orthodox temple. An iconostasis, an altar table, and a table of oblation — all made in Russia — have already been installed.

For divine services in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, hegumen Melety (Sokolov)especially from Moscow, an instructor at the Moscow Theological Academy, flew in especially from Moscow.

In the building of the Consulate General of Russian Federation in Shanghai, Paschal divine services were officiated by priest Alex Kiselevich. Over 200 attended came to the Paschal divine service. Chinese Orthodox clerics, who do not yet have their own church, were among those taking part in the services.

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