WHAT: An exclusive RASBJ tour of the Church of the Saviour, also known as Beitang (North Church), led by Fr. Matthew Zhen and Fr. Simon Zhu

WHEN: Monday, Feb. 26, 6:45-8:30 PM Beijing Time. The tour will start promptly at 7:00 PM

WHERE: Please meet at the starting point of the South Gate of Beitang (North Church) at No. 33 Xishiku Dajie, Xicheng District 北京市四城区西什库大街33号 西什库教堂9（又称北堂）

MORE ABOUT THE EVENT: Known colloquially as Beitang (North Church), the Church of the Saviour is a French Gothic Revival style church designed by French Catholic architect Alphonse Favier, CM (1837–1905) that currently serves as the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Beijing. The church has a long history with several names as it was first constructed in the year 1703 during the Kangxi reign (1662–1722) of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) on the west side of Zhonghai (the Middle Sea) at a place called Canchikou (lit. Mouth of the Silkworm Pool). Moved to its current location in the late 1880s at the behest of Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908), the church is also known as Xishiku Church due to the vicinity's history as the Western Ten Storehouses (Xishiku), constructed during the Zhengtong reign (1436–1449) in the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). The church's building—having been destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, reconstructed in 1901, and renovated in the 1980s and 2010s—is a testament to the vicissitudes of China's late-dynastic period and modern history. With a fusion of both Chinese and European architectural features, imperial stele pavilions in the courtyard, and stained-glass windows showcasing the history of the Catholic Church in China, the North Church is a place of solemn worship for the faithful and a worthy destination for history enthusiasts.

The tour will be led by Fr. Matthew Zhen and Fr. Simon Zhu of Church of the Saviour; it was organized by Fr. Qinglong Zhao of Church of the Saviour, with Adam Ensign as RASBJ's liaison person.

HOW MUCH: RMB 100 for members of RASBJ and of partner RAS branches. RMB 200 for non-members. NOTE: Ticket proceeds will be donated to the church.

HOW TO JOIN THE EVENT: Please click "Register" or "I Will Attend" no later than Feb. 23 and follow the instructions. After successful registration and payment, you'll receive a confirmation email. if you seem not to have received it, please check your spam folder. You may find that payment via Alipay is easier than by Wechat; you may also pay by credit card.

NOTE: Group size will be limited; tickets will be sold on a first come first served basis according to the time of payment. Once the tour is fully booked, aspiring registrants will be added to the waiting list, with RASBJ members receiving priority.

REFUND POLICY: Registrants will be refunded in full if RASBJ cancels this event. Registrations for those who have not paid by Feb. 23 will be cancelled. If you registered and paid, but discover you cannot attend, please email communications@rasbj.org by Feb. 23 and you'll be refunded if someone takes your place.

Photo credit: Adam Ensign