EUROPE/ITALY - Chinese Catholic community from across Italy celebrate the Day of Prayer for the Church in China in the Diocese of San Miniato

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Santa Croce sull'Arno (Agenzia Fides) - A procession of hundreds of Chinese and Italian Catholics marched through the streets of Santa Croce sull'Arno, a town in the Italian province of Pisa, on Sunday, May 25, before participating in a joint Eucharistic celebration in the local parish church. The occasion was the celebrations held by the Tuscan town for the 16th World Day of Prayer for the Church in China.
In his 2007 letter to Chinese Catholics, Pope Benedict XVI suggested that May 24, "the day dedicated to the liturgical memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians - venerated "with great devotion at the Marian Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai" - could become "an occasion for the Catholics of the whole world to be united in prayer with the Church in China".
The reigning Pontiff at the time established this date as the "Day of Prayer for the Church in China", to be celebrated in all Catholic communities worldwide. This year, Chinese Catholics living in Italy gathered at Santa Croce sull'Arno to celebrate the Day of Prayer together. They received a warm welcome from the Diocese of San Miniato and the local administration of the Tuscan municipality, which provided two elementary schools to accommodate the guests from Turin, Milan, Naples, Macerata, Padua, Rome, and Prato on May 24 and 25. With the support of the Bishop of San Miniato, Giovanni Paccosi, and the parish priest of Santa Croce, Don Donato Agostinelli, the Chinese priest Giovanni Yang Xiaogu, who serves as chaplain to the local Chinese parish, together with all the parishioners ensured that the Chinese guests, who had traveled from all over Italy, felt at home. "It is an important and beautiful thing that Chinese Catholics gather once a year to pray for their country and the spread of the faith in China's great history," Bishop Giovanni Paccosi told the local television station "Tele San Domenico."
“Without a doubt,” the bishop added, “our faith leads us to the dimension of the world, and the ‘division of languages of Babel’ regains its unity in Christ.”
"For Santa Croce sull'Arno," Mayor Roberto Giannoni told the same local television station, "it was an honor to welcome the Chinese Catholic community in Italy for this day of prayer. It was truly beautiful for us to have them all here and to spend these two days with them, because it is a sign of fraternity and communion. A sign that Santa Croce is always open to any event that can bring awareness and peace to the world." The spirit of fraternal communion characterized the moments spent together, from setting up the tents for accommodation to the Eucharist, from shared meals to cultural events. The packed program included moments of prayer and shared devotion, such as the procession and the recitation of the Rosary. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides, 4/6/2025)