Get your Pray on!

A certain dictator once said that religion was “an opiate of the masses,” and between 1949 and 1979, religion was heavily regulated, cutting many of the bonds between China and the faiths of the Western world. But those ties are not all gone. Shanghai has had a relationship with the European-style Abrahamic faiths for over 500 years, establishing a rich historical narrative that may interest both believers and non-believers.

Although the largest religious group in China is Buddhists, followers of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam also have a variety of places to worship, most of which (in the cases of the Jewish and Christian ones at least) provide English services. Some of these places are extraordinary and famous around the Far East, and people of all faiths are welcome to visit them to understand their cultural and historical value. Here are some options to consider when finding the church, synagogue, mosque, or cathedral that is right for you.

If you have any more information that should be added to this list, please let us know in this forum.
 

Judaism

Ohel Moishe Synagogue was built in 1907 by Russian Jews and moved to its present site in 1927. During WWII, many Jewish refugees from Europe escaped the Nazi regime to Shanghai because at that time, Shanghai was a place you could go without any visa or documentation. On February 18th, 1943, the Japanese authority occupying Shanghai, ordered all the Jewish refugees that had arrived after 1937 to move to a “ghetto for stateless refugees” often known as the infamous “Shanghai Ghetto” of Hongkou District. Crowded with narrow and ragged alleyway houses with Japanese soldiers guarding the entrances and exits, Shanghainese helped the refugees survive by throwing food and supplies over the walls. During the course of the war, many Jewish children were born there and survived.
 

Today, the synagogue is also the Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall of Shanghai (犹太难民在上海纪念馆). The surrounding architecture in Huo Shan Lu(霍山路)，still maintains its original style. It is very interesting to find that the buildings on the right belong to one era, and the ones on the left belong to another, and buildings exploding with history are being imploded by bulldozers. Visit it now before most of its gone. There is also a small park in Huo Shan Lu, 10 steps from the historical buildings, that houses a Jewish Monument.
Add: 62 Changyang Lu (长阳路62号)
Tel: 65126669
Opening: 9:00-16:30 (almost every day)
(The price to visit the Memorial Hall is 50RMB, but if you have a student card, the price drops to 10RMB. If you are lucky, there will be a volunteer guide for you.)
 

Others:
Shanghai Jewish Center / Shang Mira Garden,Villa #1 (上海犹太人中心)
Add: 89 South Shui Cheng Lu (水城南路89号美丽华花园1号别墅)
Tel: 62780225
Synagogue is every Friday 18:00 and Saturday 9:00am.
www.chinajewish.org
 

Ximo Hall/Ohel Rachel Synagogue (西摩会堂)
Add: 500 Shanxi Bei Lu (陕西北路500号)
It is only opened in Saturday during the EXPO period.
Click here for more details.
 

Islam

The Xiaotaoyan Mosque（小桃园清真寺), is one of the famous mosques in the city and features the Islamic architecture style of West Asia. It was established in 1917 and rebuilt in 1925. One verse in the Koran, “indeed, the religion in sight of Allah is Islam” is embedded on the top of the gate. There is a rectangular courtyard inside, a great worship hall of 500 square meters standing on the west side of the hall, and a pole with the moon and stars on the vault dome. From 1920 to 1940, the mosque received and served Muslims who gathered in Shanghai from Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, etc., and planned to make a pilgrimage in Mecca. Thus it has become the transfer center for Muslims who want to go to Mecca by sea.

Add: No. 52 Xiaotaoyuan, East Fuxing Lu（复兴东路，小桃园街52号）
Tel: 63775442
Open: 8:00-18:00 (for visits), 19:15-20:40 (for prayers)
 

Others:
Western Shanghai Mosque (沪西清真寺)
No.3, Lane 1328, Changde Lu (常德路1328弄3号)
Tel: 62775966
The first mosque rebuilt after the establishment of PRC
 

Songjiang Mosque (松江清真寺)
No.21, Gangbeng Lu, Songjiang District (松江区缸甏巷21号)
Tel: 57823684
It was built in Yuan Dynasty (1206～1368) and is the earliest mosque in Shanghai.

Christian - Catholicism

The St, lgnatius Cathedral
Xujiahui, known mostly for its shopping and commerce, also has as close relationship with Xu Guangqi. Xu experienced western scientific and religious methods via missionaries and introduced Chinese people to new concepts in science. He is buried in the place he spent the last twenty years of his life- Xujiahui (could be translated “The Home of Xu” or “Xu Family Gathering”). His tomb still exists in Guangqi park just a short walk from the Xujiahui Cathedral.

The Xujiahui Cathedral or The St, lgnatius Cathedral of Shanghai, can hold over 2500 people and was once known as “the grandest Cathedral in the Far East.” The Gothic-style building with its twin spires are surrounded by a serene and leafy garden.

Add: 158 Puxi Lu 浦西路158号
Tel: 64382595
Open: 10:00-16:00 weekdays for visitors, 10:00-15:00 Saturday for visitors, 14:00-16:00 Sunday for visitors, 12:00pm masses Sunday in English

Located outside the city center in Songjiang, She Shan Basilica rests on the western peak of She Shan Hill among two forests. In 1874, Pope Pius IX declared that pilgrims who went to She Shan in May (traditionally a Marian month) would receive a Plenary Indulgence. As a result, pilgrims from all over China began to congregate at She Shan in May, a practice that continues to this day.

The 14 Stations of the Cross situating at the end zig-zag path up the steep hill leading to the church is the most outstanding part of the Cathedral. At the mid-level is an open square where containing two shrines, one in devotion to the Sacred Heart and the other to the Virgin Mary.

Add: western peak of She Shan Hill, Songjiang District (佘山的西山顶)
Tel: 57651521
Open: 8:00-16:20

Surrounding:
Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO)
The building is founded by the French Mission Catholique in 1900. A 40cm double astrograph was built in 1900 on top of She Shan Mountain, which was the largest telescope in East Asia at that time. It is one of a few telescope in the world that observed Halley’s Comet both in 1910 and 1986.
 

Others:
Dong Jia Du Cathedral: No. 185 Dong Jia Du Lu, Huang Pu District
(董家渡天主堂：黄埔区董家渡185号)
The first Cathedral in Shanghai
 

Bo Duo Lu Tang (St. Peter’s Church): No. 270 South Chongqin Lu, Lu Wan District
(伯多禄天主堂：卢湾区重庆南路270号)
It offers many language services.

Sacred Heart
151 Hong Feng Lu, Pudong
(红枫路151号）

http://www.sacredheartpudong.com

Christianity - Protestant

Among the plethora of bars on Heng Shan Road lies a ivy-covered building behind a brick and iron gate featured stained-glass designs. This is Shanghai Community Church (国际礼拜堂). Built in 1925 by mostly American immigrants, Shanghai Community Church is the largest Christian church in Shanghai. At first, only foreigners could visit and only English was spoken. It is famous for its fine holy songs. On every 3rd Sunday and all religious holidays, SCC hosts a grand music event. Since 1983, many foreigners came to visit the church including former US president, Jimmy Carter, and the Nobel Peace Price winner Bishop Tutu.

Add: No. 53 Heng Shan Lu, Xu Hui District (徐汇区衡山路53号)
Open: Almost every day, Sunday morning is preferred.
English Masses: 14:00 16:00

Mu’en Tang (沐恩堂) was established by an American Missionary in 1887 and was formerly Moor Methodist Church. Located near People’s Square, it houses 1000 seats. In 1936, an American Christian visited and donated a 5-meter-high neon Cross over the bell tower. In 1958, all the Shanghai Christian factions worshipped there jointly and it was renamed is as “Mu’en Tang.”
Add: No. 316 Mid Xi Zang Lu, Huang Pu District (黄浦区西藏中路316号)
Open: 9:00-10:30 for visitors
Masses: 7:30 10:00 14:00 19:30 (in Mandarin)
 

Others:
Huai’en Tang: No. 375, North Shan Xi Lu, Jing An District
怀恩堂：静安区陕西北路375号

Jing Ling Tang: No. 135, Kun Shan Lu, Hong Kou District
景灵堂：虹口区昆山路135号

Hong De Tang: No. 59, Duo Lun Lu, Hong Kou District
洪德堂：虹口区多伦路59号

***Xiaotaoyuan Mosque Photo credit to http://mach.debagua.com