Xinjiang Catholic Church

Xinjiang Catholic Church

The Xinjiang Catholic Church is a cultural relic protection unit of Shanxi Province.

The Catholic Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Xinjiang County, also known as the "Xinjiang Cathedral," is located on the high cliff at the northern end of Xinjiang County’s main street. It serves as the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Yuncheng, overseeing pastoral work across 23 cities and counties including Yuncheng and Linfen, and has over 18,000 parishioners.

Xinjiang was one of the first places in Shanxi Province where Catholicism was introduced. In 1620 (the 48th year of the Wanli reign in the Ming Dynasty), Italian priest Giulio Aleni arrived in Jiangzhou and established the first Catholic church in Shanxi Province. In 1936, the Holy See established Jiangzhou as an Apostolic Prefecture, designating Xinjiang as the cathedral (episcopal seat). It was under the jurisdiction of the Dutch Franciscan Mission, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua as the patron saint of both the diocese and the cathedral, with Dutch Franciscan Father Coenraad Koning appointed as the Prefect Apostolic. The establishment included a seminary, convent, orphanage, nursing home, Shoushan Hospital, Ando School, and the Catholic Action group. The episcopal residence covered over 60 acres with more than 200 housing units. In 1937, Mother Koning sponsored the construction of a large Gothic-style cathedral using 45 kilograms of gold donated by her, in honor of her son’s elevation to Prefect Apostolic. This cathedral, along with those in Qingdao, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, is ranked among the four major Catholic churches in China, and its architectural scale ranks among the largest of Gothic churches in the country.

Location

On the high cliff at the northern end of Xinjiang County’s main street

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Shanxi Province