Wang Dian and her friends said they are at the church to spread the message of Christ by helping people.
“On Christmas day, we always come to the chapel to celebrate the birth of Jesus and share our joy and emotions with all our friends,” Dian, a resident, told Rudaw’s Mahdi Faraj on Sunday.
“I come to serve the people who visit the church, to deliver the message of Christmas. Tonight is Christmas Eve, and we will be praying,” she added.
China has a population of around 44 million Christians, 90 percent of whom are Protestants, and about 6,440 churches.
In Chinese Christian culture, it is common for youngsters to gift their friends apples, because the pronunciation of the word apple, "Píngguǒ", is close to the Chinese word for Christmas Eve.
“I came here to have dinner with my friends and take some pictures. Tonight is Christmas Eve and we want to visit the chapel, take pictures, capture beautiful memories, and wish good luck and a blessed safe life,” Wang Siya, a resident, said.
Foreigners who have not been able to return to their families for Christmas and New Year have come to the church to celebrate the season with their fellow believers.
Mia Avrina, a Russian student, is spending Christmas away from her family for the first time.
“This is the first time being in China, especially for Christmas, so for me that is a great pleasure for sure. It is really different, of course, but you feel the unity of people around you. You feel how all the people around are happy, how they are grateful,” Avrina said.
The Chinese government recognized freedom of religious beliefs in 1982. Around 90 percent of Chinese people have no religious beliefs.
