As COVID-19 restrictions continue to be lifted in China, churches across the country are starting to plan their reopening.
It appears, however, some churches are not being allowed to reconvene until congregants sing the national anthem and the national flag is raised under the instruction of the Chinese Communist Party, Bitter Winter reports.
On June 14, The Lishiting Catholic Church in the Shunhe district of Kaifeng reopened for the first time in five months.
In a gathering of around 20 people, a priest rang in the church’s reopening with a flag-raising ceremony. According to Bitter Winter, government officials attended the ceremony in a supervisory capacity.
“We solemnly raise the national flag here today after the epidemic, witnessing the fruits of all people working together under the leadership of Xi Jinping who directs the government and the Party,” the priest said.
Also on that day, in the Shunhe district, the Gangxi Christian Church reopened under the aforementioned conditions. According to one congregant, Church leaders were also instructed to commend Chinese leaders’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The church finally reopened after five months, 147 days, or 21 Sundays, but instead of singing hymns to praise God, the government required us to raise the national flag and sing the national anthem, praising Xi Jinping’s ‘victory in fighting the…
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