—
Parishioner in Zhejiang‘s Pingyang county mourn their church’s cross getting knocked down earlier today. pic.twitter.com/MupbtdUbF4
—
Zhejiang: 360 crosses or Christian buildings destroyed – Chinese Communist officials have continued their campa… http://bit.ly/1tmzvoA
Catholic World News – July 29, 2014
Chinese Communist officials have continued their campaign against Christian institutions in the eastern province of Zhejiang.
Since January, the government has demolished 360 crosses or Christian buildings, according to an AsiaNews report. On July 21, several hundred men attacked a Salvation Army church in Wenzhou, the province’s largest city, and tore down its cross.
In Ningbo, a city of 7.6 million, the Catholic cathedral burned to the ground on July 28. The destruction of the cathedral, built in 1872, has been ruled an accident.
…
Across Zhejiang province, China, authorities topple-or threaten to topple-crosses at more than 130 churches: http://apne.ws/1tRDXck
In this photo taken July 15, 2014, Pastor Tao Chongyin, left, speaks with church member Fan Liang’an in front of the Wuxi Christian Church with the words “Church of Jesus” in red, in Longwan, Wenzhou in eastern China’s Zhejiang province. Across Zhejiang province, which hugs China’s rocky southeastern coast, authorities have toppled, or threatened to topple, crosses at more than 130 churches. “I won’t let them take down the cross even if it means they would shoot me dead,” said Fan Liang’an, 73, whose grandfather helped build the church in 1924. (AP Photo/Didi Tang)
WUXI VILLAGE, China (AP) — The battle started when a government-hired crew tore down the metal cross atop the one-room church in this village surrounded by rice paddies last month.
The next day, a church member used his own welding torch to put it back. He was promptly detained and questioned for 10 hours on the charge of operating a welding business without a license.
A week later, the crew came back to remove the cross. Once again, church members put it back up, now tattered and a little shorter.
The church in the eastern village of Wuxi, about 480 kilometers (300 miles) south of Shanghai, has had its water and electricity cut off. Officials have attempted to install surveillance cameras and inquired about several church members’ work and their children’s schooling — a veiled threat that jobs and education might be at risk. But the congregation is not giving up.
“I won’t let them take down the cross even if it means they would shoot me dead,” said Fan Liang’an, 73, whose grandfather helped build the church in 1924.
Across Zhejiang province, which hugs China’s rocky southeastern coast, authorities have toppled — or threatened to topple — crosses at more than 130 churches. In a few cases, the government has even razed sanctuaries.
—
As if Zhejiang Christians didnt have enough probs already now their churches are catching fire http://news.163.com/14/0728/06/A27L4FE400014JB5.html … pic.twitter.com/4mg49bcy1G
—
ZHEJIANG
CHINA
Zhejiang: list and pictures of 64 demolished Christian churches
The campaign of persecution against Christians in Zhejiang has led to the destruction of places of worship, the removal or obliteration of crosses, and a month-long clashes between Christians and police over churches and other places of worship. Meanwhile, the plan to demolish the “Jerusalem of the East” moves on relentless.
Rome (AsiaNews) – More than 60 churches in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, have received a demolition notice, have had some of their annexes demolished and crosses either removed or covered.
The dates in the list published below are not confirmed demolition dates, but rather the dates when the pictures of this sacrilege were posted on the web (at the bottom list, numbers refer to the building destroyed).
The city of Wenzhou (known as the Jerusalem of the East because of its sizable Christian community) has had the most churches demolished.
Yongjia County has the largest number of churches with crosses removed, and Sanjiang Church in Yongjia County, which cost 30 million yuan (US$ 4.8 million) to build, was demolished.
Due to pressure from the authorities, a few churches have not been able to send us timely information on demolition.
Following the campaign of church and crosses demolition in Wenzhou, there are signs that in late May, the authorities will start to outlaw house churches used by Christians who do not want to join state bodies. Some sources suggest that the government will start with 85 churches.
Some churches in Yongjia County, Wenzhou, have also been ordered to stop Sunday school programs offered to minors.
Here is a complete list and the pictures of the demolitions.
1. On Jan. 1, the Christian Church of Gou village, Liangzhu town, Yuhang District, Hangzhou, was required by Liangzhu town government to remove the cross of Gou Village Church.
2. On Feb, 27, the cross of Huanghu Christian Church, Huanghu town, Yuhang District, Hangzhou, was forcibly removed.
3-5: The crosses of Hangzhou Gulou Church, Sandun Church and Xingqiao Church are in the government’s list of crosses that will be demolished.
For the full list, click on:
Zhejiang: list and pictures of 64 demolished Christian
—
——————————————————————————————————————
weehingthong 