(7 Apr 1996) Man/Eng/Nat
Christians worldwide have been celebrating Easter.
But in China, the majority of the country's 14 (m) million Catholics are still unable to practise their religion freely.
Human rights groups say persecution of Catholics is common - with fears it will spread to Hong Kong when the country returns to Chinese rule next year.
It may be the world's most populous country but China's Catholics are still a tiny minority.
Just four (m) million residents are officially registered in the Church.
Following the end of the Cultural Revolution when religions were banned, Catholics are now able to practise their faith with the official Catholic Patriotic Association - set up by the Communist Party.
This church, Xuan Wu Men, built 90 years ago, is one of the oldest of the five-thousand officially registered churches.
But an estimated 10 (m) million Chinese still practice in underground churches loyal to the Pope and repressed by the authorities.
Catholicism was introduced to China by Italian Jesuit Priest Matteo Ricci, who founded Beijing's first Catholic church in 1583.
The Catholic Church suffered tremendously after diplomatic relations between China and the Vatican were broken in 1957.
Believers were ordered to renounce the Pope's religious authority and those who refused were jailed.
Followers were persecuted and churches destroyed.
But in the past decade the Beijing government has softened its attitude towards the Christian churches.
It no longer regards religion as "the opium of the masses."
SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"Actually, the Communist party doesn't care about what people believe in. People here are free on this. What it cares about is political issues. Everyone, every organisation, is involved in politics, that's why the Communist party must have control of politics. But regarding religious beliefs, the party doesn't care."
SUPER CAPTION: Father Shi Yukun, Vice-chairman Patriotic Church of Beijing
But critics say while the country's 1982 constitution may claim to guarantee freedom of religious beliefs, the state still controls religious life.
Religious organisations have recently reported the destruction of Catholic churches built illegally in the countryside and the arrest of nuns and priests.
In other areas peasants were said to have been tortured because they refused to practise contraception to comply with the government's one child policy.
Experts believe the return of Hong Kong to China in 1997 and Macao in 1999 will play an important role in determining the future of Catholic Christians in China.
Many Catholics in Hong Kong fear the persecution will spread with some religious leaders concerned Chinese authorities will not grant them freedom to worship.
But Reverend Sun at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Hong Kong remains confident China will respect religious freedom.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Well I trust that we can still go to Church and pray and we can still do our missionary work, we can still teach in Catholic schools and do our social services."
SUPER CAPTION: Reverend Patrick Sun, presiding at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Hong Kong
The Patriotic Church of Beijing says any concerns in Hong Kong are unjustified.
SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin)
"After Hong Kong is returned, we will have a policy called "The three Mutuals", which is mutual respect, mutual non-interference, and mutual non-subordination. The Catholic Church of Hong Kong will never be switched into the same as that of the mainland."
SUPERCAPTION: Father Shi Yukun, Vice-chairman Patriotic Church of Beijing.
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Негізгі бет CHINA: BEIJING: CATHOLIC'S EASTER CELEBRATIONS
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