ASIA/CHINA - Ji Ning diocese in Mongolia, celebrates consecration of new Cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary; the diocese hosts the continent's most famous Marian Shrine to Our Lady of the Rosary

Monday, 15 October 2007

Ji Ning (Agenzia Fides) - “The Cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary is also a splendid symbol of the city. The church alone is a strong message of evangelisation", the parish priest said about the Ji Ning diocese's new Cathedral. Ji Ning diocese is in Inner Mongolia. More than fifty priests, about a thousand people and thirty women religious came from all over the region to take part on the solemn Mass for the consecration of the Cathedral dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. “We are at the centre of the city and we have a vast field for evangelisation” said the parish priest Rev. Wang Jun. “It has not been easy to build a church of this size and I thank all those who have contributed in any way. We consider this help as impulse for mission. We feel encouraged to carry the Gospel to all, or otherwise we will not deserve all this help”.
The new cathedral situated at the centre of the city is a combination of Romanesque and Mongolian style. Its area is 570sq mt. And it is, 35m long, 16m wide and 26 high and can seat 500 people. It cost 150,000 Euro offered by the faithful and by clergy and from other dioceses. It took a year to build. Next to the church is the Bishop's Residence and Diocesan centre and a convent for diocesan religious.
Ji Ning mission (formerly Wu Meng) was opened by Lazarist Fathers and then taken over by CICM missionaries. On 2 February 1929, with a Propaganda Fide it was raised to the rank of diocese. Thanks to fervent missionary activity many Catholic villages were built in the area and still have Catholic names Sacred Heart Villlage, Rosary Village, Faith Hope and Charity Village …. Here too is the most famous Marian Shrine to Our Lady of the Rosary on the whole continent, visited by numerous pilgrims all the year round. As many as 50.000 in the month of February. According to the “Directory of the Catholic Church in China 2006” published by He Bei Faith Press, the diocese has today 100,000 Catholics, 28 priests (most of them are young). In Wu Lan Cha Bu district where there is the Cathedral there are more than 5,000 Catholics. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 15/10/2007 - righe 33, parole 422 )


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