BEIJING (Fides): Celebrations continued for the 420th anniversary of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Beijing, also called Nantang Church [Southern Church]. It was founded by the great Jesuit missionary Father Matteo Ricci in 1605.
On the occasion of the Year of the Family, the Diocese of Beijing launched initiatives on the role of the family in transmitting the faith.
On October 12, a total of 46 couples from the parish renewed their marriage vows before Auxiliary Bishop Matthew Zhen Xuebin, reaffirming their desire to witness together to their faith in Christ.
“By prioritising the spiritual life within the family, the love and truth of the faith are transmitted through words and deeds in everyday life. The family, as a small domestic church that spreads the gospel, bears witness to the faith to all people,” Bishop Zhen said during the homily
The bishop emphasised that the Church of the Immaculate Conception owes its 420-year history to the service and commitment of families who have preserved the faith and passed it on from generation to generation. The family has also become the “cell” of the parish.
The previous evening, many parishioners participated in the prayer vigil for peace and prayed the Rosary together with Pope Leo XIV.
