Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tang Shan (Agenzia Fides) – The Catholic community of Tang Shan, in the province of He Bei, led by their Bishop, Bishop Fang Jian Ping, prays for the earthquake victims of Christchurch in New Zealand. According to information Faith has sent to Fides, Bishop Fang immediately launched an appeal to all parishioners and faithful to dedicate themselves to intense prayer for the victims of the earthquake, the wounded, the survivors, and emergency workers, offering Mass for this intention, as well as Rosaries and donations. During the Mass for the victims, celebrated the day after the earthquake, 23 February, Fr Dong Zhi Yuan invited parishioners to mobilise all their efforts so that “the earthquake victims are not lacking in our prayers and our solidarity. We feel particularly connected to them at this time and touched by the situation because we have experienced the same tragedy.” According to Faith, the parishes of Tang Shan are responding actively to the Bishop by organising the Masses and raising funds.
At 3.42 am on 28 July 1976, local time in Beijing, the city of Tang Shan in the province of He Bei, located 150 km from the capital, suffered an earthquake of 7.8° which caused 242,769 deaths (including many Catholics). 7,200 families were completely wiped out and 164,000 people were seriously wounded. In addition, the earthquake left 4,204 children orphaned, 5.3 million houses destroyed and direct financial damages in the order of 5.4 billion Yuan. It was the second most serious earthquake to have ever occurred in China (the first was on 23 January 1556, killing about 830,000 people). (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 05/03/2011)
