(CP) – Catholic churches run by the Chinese state have been ordered to hold events in which parishioners sing China’s national anthem, pray for the nation, and raise the Chinese flag, sparking outrage among local Christians. Persecution watchdog China Aid reports that ahead of China’s National Day on Oct. 1, the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, an organization associated with the Chinese government, and the

Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China issued a statement declaring that Chinese Christians should take pride in the Communist Party’s leadership over the past 70 years and should hold events to celebrate it. According to the statement, before each morning mass on Sunday, September 22, parishioners attending official Catholic churches in every region of the country must sing China’s national anthem, pray for the nation, and raise the Chinese flag. The order sparked outrage among local Christians, who called the display of nationalism “outrageous.” READ MORE