Assyrian Patriarch Plans Visits to Turkey, China

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV (Khnanya) of Seleucia-Ctesiphon has received invitations to visit both Turkey, where efforts have begun to preserve historic Assyrian churches and monasteries in its southeastern districts, and the People's Republic of China, where discussions are underway to reestablish the Church of the East in the country. (Christians were historically a significant religious minority in the Chinese Empire, and were members of the Church of the East.) More here.

Assyrian Patriarch Meets with Chinese Christians

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Dinkha IV (Khnanya) of the Church of the East has met in Chicago with the director of Hong Kong's Jingjiao Fellowship to discuss relations between the Assyrian Church and the Fellowship, which was founded to promote awareness of the ancient presence and activity of the Church of the East in China. During the meeting the Fellowship's head presented the Assyrian patriarch with a copy of the first translation of the Assyrian Divine Liturgy into Chinese. More here.

Harbin Church Hosts Russian Orthodox Metropolitan

For the first time in fifty years Holy Protection Church in Harbin, Manchuria, has had hierarchical services, celebrated on the feast of the Holy New Martyrs of China by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk of the Russian Orthodox Church. Metropolitan Hilarion stopped at the Harbin parish as part of his ongoing visit to China on behalf of Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow. More here.


Since the death of its rector in 2001 Holy Protection Church has been without regular services despite being one of the only remaining parishes in China outside of Hong Kong allowed to operate by the Chinese government. In the fall two members of the Harbin parish will begin theological studies in Russia to prepare to serve the Chinese Orthodox Church.

Sino-Russian Consultation Held in Moscow

Representatives of the Russian and Chinese governments and of the Russian Orthodox Church have met in Moscow to discuss Sino-Russian relations and the current activity of the autonomous Chinese Orthodox Church. More here.

More Chinese Catholic Bishops to be Consecrated Without Papal Approval

The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, the state-sponsored organization that oversees the life of the Roman Catholic Church on mainland China, is preparing to consecrate several new Chinese Catholic bishops, some with the approval of Pope Benedict XVI and others without. More here.

Russian Orthodox Church Organizes Conference on Chinese Orthodoxy in Almaty

The Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan has hosted a conference on Orthodoxy in China and ways in which the Orthodox Church, particularly in Kazakhstan and Siberia, can coordinate the provision of pastoral care to Chinese and Russian Orthodox Christians living in mainland China. The Orthodox Church in Kazakhstan is already sending visiting clergy to the neighboring Chinese region of Sinkiang, whilst many villages near China's borders with Russia and northeastern Kazakhstan are partially or largely Russian and Orthodox. More (in Russian) here.

Update (3/6/2011): An English-language write-up on the conference can be found here.

Nativity Services Held in Shanghai

This past Thursday Chinese authorities allowed Russian Orthodox Christians in the city of Shanghai to celebrate the Lord's Nativity in that city's St. Nicholas' Church with visiting priest Fr. Aleksiy Kiselevich. Although the festal services were only open to non-PRC citizens Fr. Aleksiy was able to visit the city's retired Chinese Orthodox priest, Fr. Michael Wang, in the days following the Nativity to congratulate him with the feast. More here.

Pictured is Fr. Aleksiy Kiselevich giving a book on Chinese Orthodoxy published in Russia to Fr. Michael Wang, Shanghai's only surviving Chinese Orthodox priest.