Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Tai Yuan (Agenzia Fides) - 150 youth delegates from the parishes of the Diocese of Tai Yuan, in the province of Shan Xi, continental China, have come together for the grand opening of a Youth Center in the Diocese. The ceremony took place on February 12, in the Cathedral courtyard, and was presided by Fr. Zhang Jin Qing, who read the official approval from the Bishop of the diocese, Bishop Li Jian Tang. An appeal was also made to all the young people, those present and those not, to take active participation in the life of the Church, and in the local community, placing their youthful enthusiasm at the service of evangelization. The priest also asked the young people to strengthen their faith through the Word of God and prayer, thereby increasing the efficacy of their service and the eloquence of their testimony.
The diocese of Tai Yuan is located in the province of Shan Xi, and holds a long and rich history of evangelization, with many heroic martyrs, beginning with the first bishop, Bishop Gregorio Grasas, OFM. The area was evangelized by the famous Jesuit, a companion of Fr. Matteo Ricci, named Fr. Giulio Aleni in 1620, and by his successor, a Belgian Jesuit named Alphonsus A. Vagnoni, known as the apostle of Shan Xi. In 1890, the diocese was created with its first bishop, Bishop Gregorio Grasas, an Italian, martyred in 1900. Today, the diocese has 27 churches, about 90 sites of prayer and missions, 50 priests, 30 religious, and about 80,000 lay faithful. Two bishops, together with 24 priests, religious, and laity of the diocese, were canonized by John Paul II in 2000. They had been beatified in 1946. (NZ) (Agenzia Fides 26/2/2008 righe 20, parole 281)
