ASIA/CHINA - New church in Yiwu named after Saint Joseph: Home to the world's largest wholesale market

by Marta Zhao

Beijing (Agenzia Fides) - The new church, recently inaugurated in Yiwu, in the diocese of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, is named after Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of missions in China. And the mission entrusted to the local parish is unique, considering the location of the new parish. Indeed, Yiwu is home to the world's largest wholesale market for small goods. It is also the starting point for many of the devotional objects sold in churches, parishes, and religious shops around the world, including those around the Vatican. Chinese merchants and businessmen from all over the world can now also visit the new church to pray, receive the sacraments, or perhaps experience the Christian proclamation for the first time. The new church was consecrated by Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang of Hangzhou on March 18, the eve of St. Joseph's Day. The following day, the Feast of the Spouse of the Virgin Mary, the bishop administered the sacrament of Confirmation to approximately 40 adults of the new parish. More than 2,000 faithful participated in the ordination liturgy, celebrated by 23 priests from Hangzhou, the Diocese of Wenzhou, and Ningbo, together with the bishop.
Retracing the parish's history, Bishop Joseph Yang recalled that "the church is a home, a place of love and affection," and thanked St. Joseph, who intercedes for the local Church as Patron of the mission in China. The city of Yiwu is located 300 kilometers from Shanghai. According to local statistics, there are more than 1,000 Catholics and nearly 20,000 Christians of other denominations. In addition, baptized businessmen, both from China and abroad, come to the city to work.
Until 2001, there was no Catholic place of worship in this international hub. With the region's economic growth, Chinese and foreign Catholics who do business, run factories, study, and work in Yiwu began to gather for prayer in private homes. In 2007, 500 Catholics gathered to celebrate Christmas together. On June 14, 2008, a Catholic church was opened in Yiwu that could accommodate approximately 200 people. Gradually, a faithful and vibrant community has emerged in this center of global trade, welcoming those who come from far away to work in the city. The diocese has sent three priests to oversee the pastoral care of the local community, which can now also count on the new St. Joseph's Church to fulfill its mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the merchants at the Yiwu wholesale market.
Masses are already being celebrated in Chinese, English, and Korean in the new church. Yiwu is a county-level city in Zhejiang Province and belongs to the Diocese of Hangzhou. In 2005, the United Nations, the World Bank, Morgan Stanley, and other international financial agencies jointly published the report "Shocking the World of China's Numbers," which described the Yiwu market as "the world's largest wholesale market for small goods." (Agenzia Fides, 21/3/2025)

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evangelization

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economy

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