A Catholic Cathedral in China

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My feet were sore by 3PM and we were getting late for the anticipated Sunday mass so we headed back to Xujiahui. The Xujiahui Cathedral (St. Ignatius Cathedral) was just a few blocks away from the hotel and it happens to be the largest and best known Catholic church in Shanghai. It was built in 1904 and has a Gothic style that reminded me of Notre Dame in Paris. Awesome site! And for a communist country to have something like this is surreal.

We got there before mass started at 430pm. Since it was my birthday, it was very timely to be able to hear mass and say my thanksgiving prayers for another wonderful year that passed and for more blessed years ahead. The children's choir who sang melodious songs in Mandarin, reminded me of my boys back home. I felt truly blessed.


St. Ignatius Cathedral, Xujiahui, Shanghai
the facade

The view in front of St. Ignatius Cathedral
the view in front of the cathedral


Back to our hotel room, I plopped right on the bed due to exhaustion from all the walking (and shivering in the cold). My socks were no match to the trauma of walking the expanse of the expo site. The socks bore holes where my big toes rubbed against the shoes! Jerry and I cracked up.

And then came a knock on our door. We wondered who it could be at this time of the night... It was room service. And the man brought in a big slice of delicious brownie that had this message: Happy birthday! (Aww...)

And so this was how I ended my 43rd birthday :)


Surprise from Marriott Xujiahui :)

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