Near China’s border with Russia, the Orthodox Church regains a toehold

IN THE CITY of Ergun, about 60km from China’s border with Russia, the feast of Pascha last month was one that Father Pavel Sun Ming will long remember. Because of covid-19, he could not open his Eastern Orthodox church for celebrations of Christ’s resurrection. Police wearing surgical masks stood outside, stopping passing cars to check people’s health. But it is last year’s Pascha in Ergun that will go down in history. For the first time in more than six decades, the church’s midnight service was led by a local. Father Pavel had recently returned from his ordination in Russia. At last, Ergun’s flock had a priest again.