Xizhimen Church

Xizhimen Catholic Church, also known as Notre Dame church, is one of the four largest Catholic churches in Beijing. Located at 130 Xizhimen inner street, Xicheng District, Beijing, Xizhimen Catholic Church is the latest of the four churches in Beijing (North Church, South Church, East Church and West Church). It is also the one with the shortest history and the smallest scale among the four Catholic churches in Beijing. Xizhimen Catholic Church is the only one of the four Catholic churches, which is not founded by Jesuits The church that was built.

In the 44th year of Emperor Kangxi (1705) of the Qing Dynasty, bishop DORO came to China. Among his entourage was father delig, who later taught the prince Western learning in the palace. In 1723, a Catholic Church was built in youzhimen. In 1811, the church was destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1867. Guangxu 26 years (1900) was destroyed. It was rebuilt in 1912.

At present, the interior of Xizhimen Catholic Church is a Gothic building with a small area. The surface of the church building is covered by dense climbing tigers. The whole church is quite inconspicuous against the background of the surrounding buildings. However, the tall Corinthian columns and pointed windows make the church still tall and gorgeous from the interior. Now the north wall of the front of the church is connected behind the original north wall. Mount Notre Dame is built inside the door, becoming the only one built indoors in Beijing.

Xizhimen Church

Xizhimen Catholic Church Xizhimen Catholic Church, also known as Notre Dame church, is one of the four major Catholic churches in Beijing. It is located at 130 Xizhimennei street, Xicheng District, Beijing. It is the shortest and the smallest of the four Catholic churches in Beijing. It is also the only one of the four Catholic Churches not founded by Jesuits.

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Historical details

It is also known as Notre Dame church, or west church for short. It is a Gothic building with independent bell tower

The church was built in 1723 by the Italian priest of the missionary church, priest de Rigo, with his salary. It was originally called the Church of seven sufferings of Notre Dame. In 1811, it was forcibly demolished because of the prohibition of religion. In 1867, it was rebuilt by the bishop of montmorillonite. On June 15, 1900, because of the anti foreign and anti religious movement launched by the boxers, the Presbyterian Church was killed and burned again. In 1912, the charity nun blanchier raised money to restore the original appearance and renamed the Church of Notre Dame.

In the 44th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Pope Clement Xi sent cardinal DORO as his special envoy to announce the Pope's edict to China. Bishop DORO's entourage, teodoricus Pedrini (1670-1746), was appointed by Emperor Kangxi to teach the prince Western learning, so he stayed in China. In the first year of Yongzheng reign, derrigo purchased land in Xizhimen to build the Xizhimen Catholic Church, and he continued to preach here until his death on December 10, 1764.

As the founder of Xizhimen Catholic Church, father derrigo was appointed by the Ministry of communication of Rome, so Xizhimen Catholic Church was directly subordinate to the Holy See. The other three of the four Catholic churches in Beijing were founded by Jesuits. It was only after the Pope announced the dissolution of the Jesuits in 1773 that they became under the jurisdiction of the viceroy of weizeng and became directly subordinate to the Holy See.

Xizhimen Catholic Church is a typical Gothic building with a three story spire.

In the 16th year of Jiaqing, the Qing government issued an order to prohibit Catholicism. Catholic missionaries were not allowed to live in the capital and engage in missionary activities except those who served in the government. In the same year, four priests of Xizhimen Catholic Church were deported, Xizhimen Catholic Church was demolished and the property was confiscated.

After the second Opium War in 1860, according to the agreement reached between the Qing government and Britain, France and other countries, the right of Catholicism to operate in China was restored. Due to the prohibition of Catholicism, the West church had been converted into a residential building for many years during the Xianfeng Period, so that no one knew that it was once a large-scale Catholic Church. In the tenth year of Xianfeng, when foreigners from Britain, France and other countries asked the Qing government to return the church property Emperor Xianfeng raised the question of "where is the East and West Hall?". According to the history of preparing for the affairs of the barbarians, the commander of the Bujun yamen visited the Xitang at the order of emperor Xianfeng, and found "Xizhimen hengqiao, with a powder room and 18 official rooms. The back is empty. It's about 16 feet away. In the sixth year of Tongzhi reign, Xizhimen Catholic Church was rebuilt.

In 1900, the Boxer Movement broke out. On June 15, Xizhimen Catholic Church was destroyed by the boxers. After that, until 1912, Xizhimen Catholic Church was rebuilt for the third time.

During the cultural revolution, Xizhimen Catholic Church was confiscated and used as the warehouse of button factory, electric fan factory and Tongrentang pharmaceutical factory. Meanwhile, the three storey clock tower of the church was also demolished. In 1994, Xitang was reopened and normal religious activities resumed. From 2008 to 2009, the bell tower and courtyard were rebuilt to restore the original appearance of the Republic of China.

Stone tablet records

On the wall at the entrance of Xitang, there is a stone tablet inlaid, which records the history of Xitang

Original inscription (traditional Chinese)

Reconstruction of Notre Dame

An anecdote of the thousands of years of Hongji

The benevolence of the great master

At 1720, the Presbyterian priest

Three years alone lost a lot of money to buy Skye

The seventh bitterness Hall of the Virgin Mary, 1811

The whole church was destroyed during Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty

By 1867, Monseigneur the bishop

A new idea of building a large scale of industrial system

On June 15, 1900, he was killed by the bandits

Jinshiduo was killed in the courtyard of Taiyu

In 1912, the sisters of charity

Bolangsier's new name changed

On the day of its completion, bishop Lin of Beijing ordered Leshi to set up his ambition

Through cloud

Leshi in February 1913

Simplified Chinese

Reconstruction of Notre Dame

An anecdote of the thousands of years of Hongji

The benevolence of the great master

Make the Presbyterian priest derrigues in 1720

Three years alone lost a lot of money to buy Skye

The seventh bitterness Hall of the Virgin Mary, 1811

The whole church was destroyed during Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty

By 1867, Monseigneur the bishop

A new idea of building a giant scale

On June 15, 1900, he was killed by the bandits

Jinshiduo was killed in the courtyard of Taiyu

In 1912, the sisters of charity

Bolangsier's new venture with donation

On the day of its completion, bishop Lin of Beijing ordered Leshi to set up his ambition

Through cloud

Leshi in February 1913

O. M.

TEODORICUS PEDRINI. PRESB. CONGR. MISS., INFAN-　　TIUM IMPERATORIS KANGHSI PRAECEPTOR, AN. DOM. 1723　　HUNC FUNDUM PROPRIO ÆRE EMIT, IN EOQUE ECCLESIAM　　SUB AUSPICIIS SEPTEM DOLORUM B.M.V. DEO DEDICAVIT,　　QUÆ TEMPORE PERSECUTIONIS KIATSING (1811) FUNDI-　　TUS EST DESTRUCTA.　　POSTEA A.D. 1867, ILL. DD. MOULY, C.M., HIC NOVUM SA-　　CRUM ÆDIFICAVIT. QUOD DIE 15 JUNII 1900 BOXORES　　FLAMMIS TRADIDERUNT, DUM PAROCHUM ECCLESIÆ　　MAURITIUM DORE, C.M. SACERDOTEM CRUDELITER　　TRUCIDANT.　　TANDEM, ANNO DOMINI 1912 LARGITATE BENEMERITÆ　　ROSALIÆ BRANSSIER, SOCIETATIS PUELLARUM CA-　　RITATIS, TERTIA HÆC ECCLESIA SUB TITULO B.M. DE　　MONTE CARMELO ÆDIFICATA EST.　　IN QUORUM MEMORIAM ILL. DD. JARLIN, C.M., VIC. AP.　　PEKINESIS, HUNC LAPIDEM EREXIT.

Church building

Now the inner part of Xizhimen Catholic Church is Xizhimen Catholic Church