As the Chinese people marked the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, Catholic communities across the Hanzhong Diocese turned the season of celebration into a time of compassion and service.
From September 24 to 28, priests and volunteers from the diocese, led by Fr. Zan Suike, Fr. Sun Chongyu, and other clergy, carried out a series of outreach visits under the theme “Warmth for Mid-Autumn, Love for National Day.” Their mission: to bring joy and comfort to those often forgotten by society.
The group visited the Kanghe Psychiatric Hospital and Puzhen Psychiatric Hospital in Chenggu County, where they shared festive blessings and companionship with the patients. Together, they celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival by offering mooncakes and small gifts, making dumplings, and even giving haircuts. Their warm smiles and gentle gestures turned ordinary moments into powerful expressions of love and solidarity.
“We wanted them to feel that they are not alone,” said one volunteer. “Through our presence, we hoped to let them experience the joy and peace that come from God’s love.”
Their acts of kindness allowed patients to experience not just the joy of the festival but also a renewed sense of belonging and dignity.
A Festival of Reunion and Reflection
The Mid-Autumn Festival, one of China’s oldest and most cherished traditions, celebrates reunion, gratitude, and harmony. Historical records trace its origins back to the Wei and Jin dynasties, when nobles would sail along rivers under the full moon. It became an officially recognized festival during the Tang dynasty, as recorded in The Book of Tang, Annals of Emperor Taizong: “On the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated.”
By the Song dynasty, the festival had grown in popularity, and by the Ming and Qing dynasties, it stood alongside the Lunar New Year as one of the most important celebrations in China. Today, it remains the second most significant traditional festival in the country.
Known also as the Moon Festival or the Reunion Festival, the day is rich with symbolism. The full moon represents unity and completeness, a reminder of families coming together in love and peace. Old customs describe the offerings made to the moon, round cakes and fruits symbolizing wholeness, and melons carved like lotus petals to signify purity and grace.
Even today, people gather under the radiant full moon, share mooncakes, enjoy fresh fruits and nuts, and take part in local traditions such as grass-dragon dances and pagoda building.
Faith in Action
For the Hanzhong Diocese, the Mid-Autumn Festival was not just a cultural observance but also a living expression of Christian charity. By reaching out to the sick and marginalized, the Church gave new meaning to the spirit of reunion — one that extends beyond family ties to embrace the broader human family.
In their quiet acts of service, the priests and volunteers reflected the light of Christ, echoing the very symbolism of the moon that brightens the night sky. Their message was simple yet profound: every moment of joy is also an opportunity to love, to serve, and to bring others home to the heart of God.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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