In the Diocese of Beijing, the “synodal practice” has taken a literal form. With the motto “walk together” transformed into “run together”, about thirty priests and a bishop participated on October 24 in the first edition of the so-called “Synodal Half Marathon Pegasus”, an event promoted by Bishop Giuseppe Li Shan and organized by the coadjutor bishop Matteo Zhen Xuebin, a well-known athletics enthusiast.
The objective of this initiative, according to the diocese, was to encourage among the clergy the importance of caring for both spiritual and physical health, in order to serve with renewed energy in their priestly ministry. The 21-kilometer race took place along the Wenyu River, the main waterway in the Chinese capital.
A race with spiritual and community meaning
According to a report from Fides Agency, the sports event took place after a five-day spiritual retreat that began on October 20, under the motto “Observe the precepts and cultivate inner growth”. This context, the organizers emphasize, gave the marathon a symbolic character of effort, perseverance, and communion among the priests of Beijing.
The participants undertook the race under three principles: “participate according to one’s own abilities”, “recognize the value of health”, and “prioritize participation over competition”. Even so, some took the challenge with notable seriousness: the best time recorded was 1 hour, 37 minutes, and 58 seconds.
Call to observance and fidelity
During the retreat, Bishop Li Shan exhorted the priests to maintain a solid moral and disciplinary conscience, reminding them of the need to observe the precepts, comply with the norms, and be faithful to the priestly vocation. The bishop’s words align with the recent guidelines from Chinese political authorities, which insist on “cultivating inner life” and “promoting integrity.”
The coadjutor bishop Matteo Zhen Xuebin, for his part, encouraged practicing sobriety and avoiding waste and remaining faithful to ecclesial discipline. Father Giuseppe Wu Qinjing also intervened, meditating on the call to holiness and emphasizing that an authentic priest “serves more effectively when his life is a living witness to Christ.”
A sign of communion in difficult times
The event, described by the diocese as an opportunity to “strengthen mutual trust,” shows an unusual but significant facet of ecclesial life in China: the pursuit of unity, discipline, and witness, even in a context of control and surveillance toward the Church.
Beyond the sports anecdote, the “Synodal Half Marathon” seems to express a deeper intention: maintaining the spirit of communion and fidelity to the priestly ministry in a Church called to persevere amid external tensions and internal demands.