Русский | DECR Communication Service| January 11, 2011
English translation by Katherine Ilachinski

In Shanghai there were Nativity celebrations

On January 7, 2010, a solemn liturgy was held for the feast of the Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, with the approval of Chinese authorities in the church of St. Nicholas in Shanghai (China). During the worship service, which was celebrated by Archpriest Alexis Kiselevich, there were about a hundred Orthodox Christians from different countries praying; of which about 40 people partook of Holy Communion.

The church service was attended by the Consul General of Russia in Shanghai A. Sharonov and his wife, Consul General of Ukraine SA Burdulyak with his wife, Consul General of Belarus Vladimir L. Vorobei and his wife, Consul General of Russia in Pusan (South Korea) V.N. Yermolov, head of the Russian Club in Shanghai M.V. Drozdov with his family, representatives of municipal authorities in Shanghai.

On the same day the Sunday school pupils of the international Orthodox community in Shanghai "Kolosok" pleased the parishioners with children's Nativity pageant. The celebration was concluded with tea.

During the Nativity season, Archpriest Alexis Kiselevich visited resident retired priest Michael Wang Quansheng in Shanghai, of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church and congratulated him with the blessed Nativity of Christ. Among the Christmas gifts Archpriest Alexis presented to Father Michael (published by the Department for External Church Relations of Moscow Patriarchate) was the book "Orthodoxy in China", the issue of which was timed to coincide with the 325th anniversary of the Orthodox presence in China marked in 2010.