After Christmas Mass, church members prepare cakes and traditional food and drinks. Villagers share their cakes with joy. Photo: Wang Yuanling

Here in Yanjing village in Mangkang County stands the only Catholic church in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Each week, hundreds of Tibetan Catholics flock into this church to attend Catholic services. The church is located on a hill, and its unique architectural design integrates Han, Tibetan and Western styles. Its beautiful interior decorations feature Gothic arches and a ceiling painted with scenes from the Bible. The church was established in 1865 by a French Catholic missionary named Felix Biet. Yanjing has 900 villagers, 600 of whom are Catholic.

Unlike Catholics elsewhere, the Catholic villagers read the Bible in Tibetan and present hada - long pieces of silk used as greeting gifts among Tibetans - to the Virgin Mary. Masses and sermons are delivered by a local Tibetan priest in Tibetan language.

The Catholic church has a three-story bell tower that also serves as a residence for the local clergy, in addition to a two-story church where religious services are held.

There are two masses each weekday and three masses each weekend day, with each mass lasting one hour.

Newborns are brought to the Church by their parents and are christened by the priests. They bear their Christian names all their lives and are buried in accordance with Catholic rituals when they die.

Though there is a long tradition of Catholicism in the village, some of the village residents are Tibetan Buddhists. Most of the Tibetans in this village become Catholics because of family influence. However, villagers are free to choose whatever faith they want. There are some cases of Catholics and Tibetan Buddhists living in the same family without any problems.

On Christmas Eve, the church invites Tibetan lamas from nearby monasteries to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ with them. Large piles of traditional Tibetan food are prepared to celebrate Christmas.

The presence of the Catholic Church in an area that is overwhelmingly Tibetan Buddhist presents a realistic picture of how different religions can coexist peacefully and happily. The church bells and the chants of nearby monasteries combine into a beautiful tune that echoes across the plateau.

Global Times

Eighty-year-old Mother Teresa is the oldest and most respected Catholic in this village. She is one of the first two Catholic nuns to serve this parish. Photo: CFP

On Christmas Eve, Tibetan Catholics greet each other and pray together to celebrate the holy night. Photo: Wang Yuanling

 

Newborns are brought to the Church by their parents and are baptized by the priests. Among fellow Catholics, they are called by their Christian names. Photo: Wang Yuanling

 

Each Christmas, the church invites Tibetan monks from nearby Tibetan Buddhist monasteries to celebrate Christmas together. Photo: Wang Yuanling