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More than 2,000 Christians and ordinary people attended a sacred ritual in a newly-established church in northeastern Beijing Saturday to mark the Christmas eve.
   
The rite was the first grand ceremony held in the Chaoyang Christian Church, the first of its kinds built in the capital city since 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded, according to Yu Lixin, a senior priest with the Christian Association of China.
   
The church, located in the Chaoyang District, began to receive Christians on December 16 after a 21-month construction, which involves an investment up to millions of yuan from the Beijing Municipal Government.
   
Constriction of another three churches is expected to finish next year in the districts of Fengtai, Haidian and Yanqing, according to Yu.
   
Statistics from the municipal bureau of religion show that there are more than 50,000 Christians and some 80 priests in this capital city of China, where about 20 officially registered churches are offering Christian services.

   
The municipal government has been working hard to provide a better environment for religious believers. A large amount of fund has been injected to the renovation of some key churches in the downtown regions.
   
However, going to churches is not the only choice for ordinary Chinese to spend the Christmas eve.
   
Christmas, traditionally a Western holiday, is becoming more and more popular in the oriental country and its people, especially the youth, are taking various ways to experience the exotic festival.
   
Numerous young people thronged to bars, KTVs, night clubs and other entertainment facilities Saturday night. Many shopping centers postponed their service time by several hours to meeting the purchase boom.
   
Christmas is not only a purely religious festival for many Chinese, as more consider it a nice opportunity to add some color to the life.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2005)