South Gate Catholic Church (Shenyang Catholic Church)

South Gate Catholic Church (Shenyang Catholic Church)

South Gate Catholic Church (Shenyang Catholic Church) is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Construction began in the fourth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1878), but it was burned down by the Boxers in the 26th year of Guangxu (1900). It was rebuilt in 1912 using indemnity funds from the Qing court and donations raised by the Paris Foreign Missions Society of France.

The current South Gate Catholic Church was rebuilt in 1912. The entire building is divided into eastern and western courtyards, with the main church situated at the northern end of the eastern courtyard. It stretches 66 meters from north to south and 17 meters in width, covering an area of 1,100 square meters. It is built in the Gothic style, constructed entirely of blue bricks, and features a tall spire reaching 45 meters high. The front of the church has one large and two small gates, flanked by rows of pointed arch windows. Inside, twenty-four stone pillars provide support, and the dome is adorned with large decorative patterns. The church can accommodate up to 1,500 people. A high, solemn wall surrounds the church exterior.

Located at No. 40, Leye Road, Shenhe District, the church was originally built in the fourth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty (1873) by French missionary Jean-François Fouilloy. It was burned down by the Boxers in the 26th year of Guangxu (1900). The existing structure was rebuilt on the original site by Bishop Marie-Félix Choulet of the French Catholic Diocese of South Manchuria, using the Boxer Indemnity from the Boxer Protocol.

The Boxers were a grassroots militant group that emerged after the First Sino-Japanese War, advocating for the slogan "Support the Qing, destroy the foreigners." In the 26th year of Guangxu (1900), the Boxer movement spread to Shengjing (present-day Shenyang). On June 30, under the leadership of leaders Liu Xilu and Zhang Hai, the Boxers first burned down the British church outside the East Gate. They then set fire to foreign-run mission hospitals and schools. Finally, they surrounded the French Catholic Church in South Gate. Bishop Guillon directed the congregation to resist fiercely. Despite several days of attacks, the Boxers failed to breach the church. On July 3, with the support of Qing army artillery, the Boxers finally destroyed the church, burning Bishop Guillon of France, five French priests, two Chinese priests, two nuns, and over 400 worshippers inside, marking the largest "Shenyang Religious Massacre" in history.

The current Catholic church was rebuilt in 1912. The entire structure is divided into eastern and western courtyards, with the church located at the northern end of the eastern courtyard. It measures 66 meters from north to south, 17 meters from east to west, and 40 meters in height, covering a construction area of 1,100 square meters and capable of accommodating 1,500 people simultaneously. The church is a typical example of Gothic architecture, topped with two square pyramid-shaped spires adorned with crosses. The front of the church has three arched gates, with rows of small windows on the sides. Twenty-four stone pillars support the interior, and the dome is inlaid with large ornamental patterns. To the west of the church stands a four-story building covering an area of over 10,000 square meters, with a construction area of more than 2,700 square meters and nearly 100 rooms. This is the bishop's residence, built in 1926.

Shenyang is the center of Catholicism in the northeastern region of China. For over 100 years from 1838 to 1949, all seven bishops of the Shenyang Diocese were French, while Chinese priests held subordinate positions. On September 20, 1949, the Holy See appointed a Chinese person as the bishop of the Shenyang Diocese and the archbishop of the Northeast Diocese for the first time. Shenyang Catholic Church was designated as a Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit of Liaoning in 1988.

In May 2013, the State Council (State Council Document [2013] No. 13) announced that the South Gate Catholic Church (Shenyang Catholic Church) is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Further reading:

· Fourth Batch of Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units in Liaoning

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units