Three rare books about the Russian Orthodox Church in China have been found

Three rare books about the Russian Orthodox Church in China found by Nina Achmatova The three tomes, which are waiting for a translator, are about the birth and development of three churches in Beijing, Tianjin and Harbin. The Chinese government does not recognise the Russian Orthodox Church. Its 13,000 members meet occasionally for religious functions, and usually inside the Russian Embassy and consulates. Moscow (AsiaNews) – The Russian Orthodox Church in China is trying to rediscover its origins. Some believers have been able to borrow some old books on Orthodox Christianity in the Middle Kingdom that date back to the first half of 20th century. They describe the foundation and development of three churches in Beijing, Tianjin and Harbin. Scanned one page at a time, the rare copies are available on the internet. Originally published in Russian, they are waiting for a translation. All three tomes are rare specimen with facts, figures and pictures of some of the earliest churches of the Orthodox Mission to China. The first book, by a nameless author, is dedicated to the Church of the “Protective Mantle of the Mother of God”, built in Tianjin in 1931. Archimandrite Viktor was the first priest put in charge of the church, which included an Orthodox cemetery, a library, an Orthodox ecclesiastic confraternity, the first high school ran by religious in the country, a Russian hospital and the Mercy House of the Blessed Serafim Sarkovsky. Many Chinese but also foreigners from places like Great Britain, France and Italy received physical and spiritual assistance from the last two structures.

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