Worshippers split over Chinese flag displayed at Hong Kong’s oldest church building on National Day for first time, as chaplain shrugs off criticisms
Reverend Canon Peter Koon, also a lawmaker, says counterparts overseas display their flags but acknowledges some Christians locally may have mixed feelingsChinese flag shown during morning Mandarin service at St John’s Cathedral in Central to mark National Day, as dozens of church-goers stop for photosHong Kong politicsEzra CheungPublished: 5:41pm, 1 Oct, 2023Why you can trust SCMP
Worshippers were split about seeing the Chinese flag displayed for the first time at Hong Kong’s oldest church building to mark National Day on Sunday, with the parish chaplain behind the move brushing off concerns over the separation of religion and politics.
The Reverend Canon Peter Koon Ho-ming, also a lawmaker, said their counterparts in the United States and Taiwan also displayed their flags at services. He pointed to the Church of England being the country’s primary state church as another example of the crossover between faith and politics.
Koon noted the mixed feelings Christians in the city might have over the flag, suggesting they pray for the country’s leaders and opt for a less confrontational approach when calling for changes.
Hong Kong’s Anglican cathedral to display Chinese flag on National Day
“In every country, there are times when people think things in the past could have been improved by today’s standards, so we have to have more compassion,” he said in his sermon on Sunday.