Hey, it's Easter this weekend, so here's a round-up of churches in Shanghai that are hosting services. Happy Easter, everybody. We'll get some party pictures of these on next week.
St. lgnatius Cathedral
More commonly known as the Xujiahui Cathedral, St. Ignatius was designed by English architect William Doyle and built by the French Jesuits between 1905 and 1910. Recently restored, the cathedral's stained glass windows have been replaced with ones that incorporate Chinese characters and iconography.
Easter Services: On Thursday, April 13 at 6pm, St. Iggy hosts a Chinese-language service followed by an English-language service at 8:30pm. This Friday, April 14, their Chinese-language service is at 2pm, followed by an English-language service at 7pm. On Saturday evening, the Chinese-language service is at 6pm, with the English-language service at 9.30pm. On Sunday, they're running three Chinese-language services at 7.30am, 10am, and 6pm. The English-language service is at noon.
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Mu'en Church
The Moore Memorial Church, also known as Muen Church, is located on Xizang Lu, in the middle of department stores, across from People's Square. This church was established by American missionaries in 1887 and expanded in 1931 to seat more than 1,000 worshipers. It has built up a local membership that numbers in the thousands since reopening in 1979, after its closure during the *mummble-mummble-mummble*.
Easter Services: This year, Muen Church is providing Chinese-language services only, on Thursday, April 13 at 7pm and then on Sunday, at 7:30am, 10am, 2pm, and 7pm. Everyone's allowed to come. Woo-hoo! Two-for-one margaritas. Not really.
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Hengshan Community Church
Shanghai's best known Protestant church, otherwise known as Guoji Libai Tang or the International Church, was established in 1925 and is popular among foreigners. The church was built in modern Gothic style and has a choir, to boot. This is the church that's only for foreigners, no Chinese nationals allowed.
Easter Services: On Sunday, April 16 Hengshan Community Church (SCF) English-language services are at 2pm and 4pm.
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Dong Jia Du Lu Catholic Church
Built in early Spanish baroque style in 1853, St Francis Xavier Church, also known as Dongjiadu Lu Church, was the first foreign-built church in Shanghai. It's also the oldest and the best preserved (four of the church bells are originals). The church holds services regularly in Chinese and English.
Easter Services: Due to the recent heavy construction around St. Francis Xavier’s Church, all international masses are suspended.
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St Joseph's
Founded in 1860 by Father Louis Hélot, St Joseph's serves an English-speaking Roman Catholic parish. The red brick church was built in Romanesque style with Gothic elements.
Easter Services: Thursday and Friday English-language service at 7pm, with Chinese-language services transpiring at 5:30pm. On Saturday, St Joseph's is hosting an 3.30pm service in English, followed by a service in Chinese at 7.30pm. On Sunday, they're hosting an Easter service in their usual 11am slot, followed by a Chinese-language service at 8.30pm.
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All Saints Church
All Saints on Fuxing Zhong Lu was built by the Episcopal Church in 1925. It's a Christian church in 17th-century style with a rose window and bell tower. Its triangle roof, red brick and concrete-engraved doorpost making a distinctive house of worship. The main hall can hold 500 people and the attached halls can seat a further 1,000.
Easter Services: Good Friday service is at 7pm in Chinese. Sunday services in Chinese at 7:30am, 9:30am, and 7pm. No English-language service available, so you'll have to hum along.
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Sheshan Marian Basilica
Located in Songjiang District and completed in 1935, Sheshan Marian Basilica was the most famous Catholic Church in the pre-* mummble-mummble-mummble* era, and can accommodate 3,000 worshipers. Among other architectural highlights, the church has a 38-meter belltower, granite interiors and a marble alter, although it's a bit of a trek to get there.
Easter Services: They didn't answer our calls. Are you there God? It's us, SmartShanghai. It might be closed for the season.
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St. Peter's Church
St Peter's Church is in the heart of Old Shanghai and was built in the 1930s as a Byzantine-style church with a central dome and five chapels. It served many thousands of parishioners as a shelter during the Sino-Japanese war and became a cultural center during the * mummble-mummble-mummble*. The original building was razed to build a modern one with colorful stained-glass windows in 1995. It still attracts a healthy crowd of foreigners, and offers masses in English, German, and Korean, though not this Easter as far as we can tell.
Easter Services: Saturday service at 6.30pm in Chinese. On Sunday morning they've got services at 7am and 9am in Chinese, as well as their regular 11am service in English.
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Sacred Heart
Picture taken from Joy Imperial's photo stream
The International Community of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church was built in 1744, but was forced to move several times before finding a home in its current Pudong location.
Easter Services: The party animals at Sacred Heart have gone nuts this year, with services Thursday and Friday at 7.30pm in English, Friday at 7pm in Chinese, Saturday at 9.30am and 9.30pm in English. Sunday at 10.30pm in English, and services at 7.30am, 9.30am, and 7pm in Chinese.
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Shanghai Grace Church
The English Services: April 16, 9am
This is a big church up in the Jing'An sort of neck of the woods. God lives here and he's chuffed with how the area is really coming together. They've got a few coffee shops in the neighborhood now which is nice.
Easter Services: On Friday they've got a service in Chinese at 2pm. On Saturday, 9am in Chinese. On Sunday morning they've got a service at 9am in both Chinese and English apparently. Should be like having a press conference with the divine.
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SmartShanghai's full listings of churches in Shanghai here.
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