On March 18, 2017, the praising team from the Sicheng Church of Hangzhou, a campus of Chongyi Church, started the long-awaited cultural tour on Christianity in Hangzhou. They visited a foreign missionary cemetery, a leprosy hospital, local church relics, and others.
According to the WeChat platform entitled "Praise and Worship of Sicheng Church", they paid a visit to places which included the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, the Former Residence of the King of Ting of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Dataer Lane, Zhijiang Campus of Zhejiang University (formerly church university) and the cemetery of Martino Martini, an Italian Jesuit missionary.
Pastor Chen Wei, a Hangzhou Christian history expert, was the tour guide along the way. He has published many monographs and papers in the field of the Christian history. As he explained, he took out some old photos to show the members what happened at that time.
"Every historical and cultural heritage of the journey today is a testimony of their faith." the member said.
Martino Martini (1614-1661) was sent as a missionary to China in 1640 and went to the country again in 1657 and met Emperor Shunzhi. Then, he settled down in Hangzhou in June 1659 and preached the Gospel there. He died of cholera in the city and buried in a local Catholic cemetery. His works included Novus Atlas Sinensis, Bellum Tartaricum, Brevis Relatio and Grammatica Linguae Sinensis.
Translated by Karen Luo
