| Which are the major Catholic and Christian churches in Shanghai? |
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Xujiahui Catholic Church Located in Xujiahui,the Catholic church,a famous one in China,was built in 1904,the 32nd year under the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty with its main hall built in 1910.As the church for the bishop of the Shanghai area it was officially named the "Church of St. Mary Mother of God." By the side of the church there is the |
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mansion for the bishop of shanghai area and a convent.
The Xujiahui Catholic Church is of the Gothic syyle in the medieval age. With the two spikes plus the cross towering 60 meters,the main hall is 27 meters high and 28 meters wide.Having a depth of 83 meters,its altar including the two sides extend as wide as 44 meters.With 64 carved and dovetailed pillars to support it, the hall has upperfloor winding corridors on both sides and a vault at the top and so it can hold around 3,000 believers to do religious service. The outside of the church is all built of red-brown bricks and the top of it is covered with gray pan-tiles of graphite.The celestial dippers on three sides of the church wall are all strange objects carved out of stone,which strike into you a sense of dignity and solemnity.
Standing on the altar is the statue of St. Mary Mother with a little Jesus in her arms,overlooking the church hall,a spotlight for all in the hall.Behind the main altar is a little altar for the St. Mother Luther.The church now has about 10,000 religious believers in its area.Many masses are said on every early morning,Sunday and important religious festival days,attracting a great many believers to crowd into the hall,which has now been listed as a cultural unit under the protection of Shanghai Municipality. |
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What are the special features of ringing the New Year in by sounding the evening bell in Longhua Temple? |
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