Merry Christmas everyone! In case you’re sticking around for the holiday and want to hear the Mass or attend special Christmas services, you can visit any of the places of worship that we have listed below. Just a friendly reminder: we highly recommend you to reconfirm with them about the schedules before going and bring your passport with you since many congregations will require it for entry.
Editor’s note: The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (facade during the Christmas Eve Mass in 2016 pictured below), also known as Nantang 南堂, in Xuanwumen is closed for renovation. The English Mass every Sunday at 10.30am will be moved to The Church of the Saviour or Beitang 北堂 in Xisi (西四) every Sunday at 2pm.
Christmas Week Services
Christmas for the Community Candlelight Service (Dec 23)
The Capital Community Church is an Evangelical Christian fellowship in Beijing and as part of their Christmas activities, they will hold their annual candlelight service on December 23, from 7 to 8pm. There will be a short puppet show for kids too! A return shuttle bus to the church at the Beijing Arts Exhibition Center in Shunyi is available for everyone interested to join the service. This is open only for foreign passport holders.
Beijing Arts Exhibition Center, River Garden Villas, just south of the Wenyu River off Jingshun Road. 北京市朝阳区顺黄路甲一号甲一号创意园（北东花卉向西50米或大力士加油站西北侧30米）
Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols (Dec 24)
The Congregation of the Good Shepherd, an interdenominational, liturgical Christian fellowship, will hold the Festival of 9 Lessons and Carols with Holy Communion on December 24 at 7pm. This will take place at Capital Mansions Athletic Club. Contact Spencer Musick via WeChat (ID: musickpsm) or email cogs@fastmail.fm if you wish to join the service. Please note that this activity is open to foreign passport holders only.
Capital Mansions Athletic Club, 6 Xinyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区新源南路6号
Christmas Eve Vigil Mass at the Embassy of Sweden (Dec 24)
The vigil service will start at 5pm and interested families or individuals need to RSVP by December 20 to Michelle Andersson (mopeandersson@yahoo.com). Identification (such as a passport) at the gate and RSVP confirmation is Mandatory.
Embassy of Sweden, 3 Dongzhimenwai Dajie. 朝阳区东直门外大街3号.
BICF Christmas Service (Dec 24)
The Beijing International Christian Fellowship (BICF) organizes a church service at Christmas Eve, from 6pm to 7.30pm. This service is only for foreign passport holders.
21st Century Theatre Lower Auditorium 北京市朝阳区亮马桥路40号21世纪饭店2层FA201房间 (information@bicf.org)
Family Worship Ecumenical for Christmas Eve (German)
This service will be in German and takes place from noon to 4pm at the German School.
German Embassy School, 49A Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区亮马桥路甲49号. (6532 2535)
Christmas Day Services
Xishiku Cathedral (North Church)
The English Mass at Christmas takes place at 2pm.
33 Xishiku Road, Xicheng District 西城区西什库路33号. (6617 5198)
St. Joseph’s Church (also known as Dongtang Cathedral or Wangfujing Church)
Two English Masses will be held: noon and 4pm.
74 Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District. 东城区王府井大街74号 (6524 0634/6521 2162). For more information and other locations see www.olcbeijing.org
Christmas Mass at the River Garden Compound
For families or parishioners living in Shunyi, there will be an English Mass at Christmas Day at the River Garden Compound at 10am, but it is subject to the number of attendees. If you wish to join it, contact Aleksandra Pitner at ale.pitner@gmail.com.
Beijing River Garden Villas, 7 Yuyang Road, Houshayu, Shunyi District, Beijing 北京裕京花园2层会议室 中国北京顺义区后沙峪, 榆阳路 7号
German Christmas Day Celebration (Dec 25-26)
The worship services begin on Tuesday (Christmas Day) from noon to 7pm and continue with a Eucharistic celebration the following day from noon to 7pm. Both events will be held at the German Embassy.
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. 17 Dongzhimen Wai Dajie, Chaoyang. 朝阳区直門外大街17号德国 大使
Regular Sunday Services
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church (West Church)
This church, also known as the Xizhimen Church (西直门天主堂) or Xitang (西堂), is the youngest of the four Roman Catholic churches in Beijing. It was first established in 1723 during the Qing Dynasty and was destroyed twice in its history: first in 1811, and then in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion. The structure that stands today was the second reconstruction in 1912.
Sundays at 8am (Chinese) and 11am (French). Mon-Sat at 6.30am. 130 Xizhimennei Avenue, Xicheng District 西城区西直门内大街130号 (6615 6619)
St. Michael’s Church (Dongjiaominxiang Cathedral)
St. Michael’s Church is also called Dongjiaoming Street Church (东交民巷天主堂) was formerly in the French Legation of Beijing. It was built in 1901.
Mon-Sat at 6.30am and 7am (Chinese), Sundays at 10.30am (Korean). Jia 13, Dongjiaominxiang, Dongcheng District. 东城区东郊民巷甲13号. (6513 5170)
Beijing Christian Chongwenmen Church
Sundays at 7am, 8.30am, 10.30am, and 7pm (Chinese), and 1pm (Korean). Ding 2 Hougou Hutong, Chongwenmennei, Dongcheng District. 东城区崇文门内后沟胡同丁2号 (6513 3549)
Photos: Andy Penafuerte III, Qunar, Visitbeijing
