ASIA/CHINA - In a remote village of the Mongolian steppe, over 500 faithful were moved during the celebration of their first Christmas in a simple little chapel

Ordos (Agenzia Fides) – Setting their eyes for the first time on the Nativity Scene, with the Baby Jesus at the center, the Christmas tree decorated with a Christian message, the faithful of the community of Dong Sheng, of the city of Ordos (E Er Duo Si), in the Diocese of Bao Tou, in the autonomous province of Inner Mongolia, were deeply moved, with their eyes aglow. For the first time, the over 500 faithful of this small Catholic community in a remote area of the Mongolian steppe were able to celebrate Christmas in a “chapel,” that is to say, a simple building originally built as 4 small rooms, with the Holy Mass. According to information released to Agenzia Fides, on the afternoon of December 24, the courtyard of the small “church” began to fill with people. At 5:30, the Mass began, followed by adoration of the Baby Jesus, which carried on until midnight. However, none of them wanted to go back to their homes. They remained there, setting off fireworks in honor of the Lord's Birth and prayed for the protection of Baby Jesus, who would from then on watch over the community, rich in faith and hope.
According to the “Manual of the Church in China” from He Bei Faith Press, published in 2006, the Gospel message reached the Mongolian steppe between 1200-1300s, mainly in the area of Bao Tou. Thanks to the work of the missionaries of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (MEP), the Lazzarists (CM), and the Scheut Missionaries (CICM), the community saw a great development between the end of the 1800s and beginning of the 1900. Following the institution of the hierarchy in China, Inner Mongolia was later divided into 7 dioceses. Today, there are over 250,000 Catholics in the Mongolian steppe. The Catholic community of Bao Tou has nearly 40,000 members, with 8 priests and 14 sisters who administer 13 parishes and chapels, and 5 missionaries stations. In the last 20 years, there have been misunderstandings and divergences in the community, however thanks to prayer, the effusion of the Holy Spirit, and the indications contained in Pope Benedict XVI's Letter to the Bishops, priests, consecrated persons, and lay faithful of the Catholic Church in the People's Republic of China, the Catholics from various different communities are now living together in peace without rancor. Love and communion were evident during the First Evangelization Congress held last year. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 12/1/2009)