Christmas mass at Xujiahui cathedral

A mass is in progress at the newly refurbished St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai’s Xujiahui area on Christmas Eve. More than 9,000 churchgoers took part in three Christmas services yesterday. The city’s century-old Xujiahui cathedral, once the largest in East Asia, reopened recently after a two-year renovation. The cathedral was designed by a British architect and built with funds from French businessmen. Construction began in 1906 and was completed in October 1910. It was closed in August 2015 for safety reasons. The leaky roof, damaged by wind abrasion, has been repaired and floor tiles and wooden floors have been replaced. Renovators have repainted the dome and the interior wall, and stabilized the wooden handrails. The main altar has also been refurbished. The cathedral’s 150 windows have been given a new look, with colorful paintings etched on the glass panels.