BEIJING (UCAN) -- Church personnel and volunteers here have received training in hospitality and security concerns to prepare them to welcome foreign athletes and visitors during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, due to begin on Aug. 8.

The Olympics' opening will take place on Aug. 8 at The National Stadium, which can accommodate 91,000 people.

All 20 churches in the capital, the major seminary and the Beijing diocese convent will be open as usual in the daytime for all visitors, Father Matthew Zhen Xuebin, diocesan chancellor, told UCA News on Aug. 5.

He said lay volunteers have been trained for reception and ensuring safety at the churches. Olympics events are scheduled Aug. 8-24.

A Beijing priest who requested anonymity told UCA News in late July, "Everything is ready basically, and the final issue is security." He said churches have to guard against fire, burglaries and blasts and other terrorist activities. Government warnings that secessionists from the Tibet and Xinjiang regions might seek to cause disturbances prompted concerns about terrorism.

In mid-July, all parish priests and Catholic volunteers in Beijing joined workers of other religions to practice terrorist prevention at a local mosque.

Drills for local Catholics in firefighting and first aid for heatstroke were held in two churches under the supervision of government officials, the priest added.

Father Zhen told UCA News on Aug. 5 that Beijing diocese has not raised its security level despite reports that a grenade attack in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China, the previous day killed 16 police and injured 16 other people in Kashi City.

Beijing diocese's Tianguang (heavenly light) website reported that during a training in July, Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing directed all parishes to pay attention to the image of priests, reception of visitors, safety, sanitation and other duties.

Massgoers and church visitors who bring large bags or luggage already are requested to hand them over for safekeeping before entering a church, the priest who requested anonymity said, and "all parishes must report to the diocese about the situation every evening."

Church workers and volunteers will receive all visitors equally, he said. But in the case of special figures, such as famous athletes or state leaders or envoys, the diocese will send personnel to accompany them to church in a low-key manner and avoid commotion, if they notify the diocese in advance.

Five downtown churches -- Immaculate Conception Cathedral (South Church), Savior Church (North Church), St. Joseph's Church (East Church), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (West Church) and St. Michael's Church in Dongjiaomin Lane -- are larger with longer histories, and are expected to attract the most visitors.

After six months' practice, lay volunteers reportedly can greet and have simple conversations, as well as introduce their parishes and the history and current situation of Beijing diocese, in English.

According to the priest, "There is no particular restriction on what we must not say" to visitors, and volunteers were told in the training to "talk about positive aspects of the Church and the country, but that they must honestly answer visitors' questions."

Currently the cathedral has two English Sunday Masses at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to serve the needs of foreign Catholics.

According to Father Zhen, who is in charge of foreign affairs for the diocese, the expected large number of visitors has prompted embassies in Beijing to request use of the downtown churches to say Sunday Masses in French, German, Italian and Spanish. Beijing-based foreign priests will preside over these Masses, which normally are held in the embassies on Sundays.

Free copies of a Chinese-English New Testament have been placed in all churches, he noted.

Concerning the visits of Bishop Jose Lai Hung-seng of Macau and Coadjutor Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong for the Olympics opening, however, Father Zhen said he has not heard or received notice about their visits, and the diocese has made no arrangement for them to meet Bishop Li or other priests.

A team of 17 Catholic volunteers -- priests, nuns and seminarians from Beijing diocese who speak foreign languages -- is serving at the religious service center in the Olympic Village on a 24-hour basis until Sept. 20, Father Zhen said.

The opening ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will begin at 8:08 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the National Stadium.

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