Beijing (Fides Service) - Lunar New year Guo nian, is also the feast of Spring and Thanksgiving. It is also a time to recall and pray to ancestors. Lunar New Year is set according to the moon and this year February 1st is New Year's Day. Much preparation goes into the celebration, Families clean the house, cook special food, decorate the front door with red ribbons and chun lian greetings. It is tradition not to work on New Year's day, anyone who does will have to work hard all year long. The first act of the day is to recall the ancestors and pray to them. Children are taken to visit the older members of the family.
For the Church in China, Lunar New Year feast has a special religious aspect. It is a time of sharing and evangelisation. Every parish in Beijing plans special festivities. Parish groups visit local orphanages and homes for handicapped children taking gifts of books and toys, music, sweets. St Michael's parish made a special collection for a leprosy centre in Shannxi tun by a Korean missionary. Holy Saviour parish organised a visit to an old people's home with presents and good wishes. For the period of New year festivities parishes in the outskirts of Beijing have opened assistance centres for poor families, Christians and non which are much appreciated by old and young. One young Catholic volunteer involved shares his impression with Fides Service. "I thought I would be giving to others, but I receive much more than I give. Now I understand what the priest means in his homily. Christian charity must lead to concrete action. We have decided to open these centres more often and to sustain them with prayer." (Fides Service 30/1/2003)