(Ecns.cn)—Among the eleven churches currently in Beijing, six are Catholic and five are Protestant – and all are now gleefully preparing for the upcoming Christmas Day.
Though the activities are many, most of them will hold choral performances on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, which usually start at 7 p.m. and last for 2 to 3 hours. It is advisable that you call the church in advance for detailed information, and in order to save you some time, we have listed four of the hottest churches in town.
1) East Church (St. Joseph's Wangfujing Cathedral)
Situated on the prosperous Wangfujing Street, this is the most popular Catholic church in the city, thanks to its respectable history dating back to the year 1655.
The church covers an area of about 10,000 square meters and has 30 rooms. Currently it is under renovation, and the walls that used to guard it from the street have been removed. A number of benches have been installed outside the church square, so even if it's not for a Christmas activity, the church is a great cultural site to visit.
Mass Times: Weekdays 06:30 & 07:00; Saturday 06:30 & 07:00, Sunday 07:00 & 08:00; 8 hours open to visitors on Christmas Day
Address: 74 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District
Tel: 010-6524-0643
How to get there: Take bus 103, 102, 104, 803, 814 or 808 and get off at Donganmen Shichang, then head north about 300 meters.
2) South Church (Xuanwumen Church)
Located at Xuanwumen Avenue, South Church was the first Catholic Church in Beijing. Because of the huge painting of the Immaculate Conception hanging on the wall behind the pulpit, the church is also called "the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception." Moreover, the church is magnificently built in a Baroque style, making it a good place to enjoy the beauty of architecture.
It is also the seat of the city's dioceses and Patriotic Catholic Association.
Mass Times: Weekdays 06:30 & 07:15; Saturday 18:30; Sunday 10:00 & 16:00; 8 hours open to visitors on Christmas Day
Address: 141 Qianmen Xi Dajie, Xuanwu District
Tel: 010-6603-7139
How to get there: Take bus 102, 105 or 109 and get off at Xuanwumen bus station, or take metro line 2 to Xuanwumen station.
