NEW YORK, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Bible Ministry Exhibition of the Church of China opened here at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine on Monday, the last leg of the exhibit's U.S. tour.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Rev. Cao Shengjie, president of the China Christian Council (CDC), said the exhibit, sponsored by CDC and National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China (TSPM), is the first of its kind to go abroad and is a great event in the exchanges of the churches of the two countries.

She also expressed the belief that the exhibit will help the American public better understand Christianity in China and promote the friendship between the churches and peoples of the two countries.

In his speech, Rev. Paul Irwin, president of the American Bible Society, noted that the exhibit would enable American audience to share the experience of Chinese church's publishing and distributing Bibles, and the exhibition, therefore, is of great significance to the mutual understanding of the churches and peoples of the two countries.

The exhibition came to New York after successful runs in Los Angles and Atlanta. According to its organizers, on the peak day they had 2000 visitors in Los Angeles and most viewers described the exhibit as "very substantial" and "amazing."

They also said the local church community and the general public of the two cities did everything they can to help make the exhibit a big success. In Atlanta, it drew more than 4000 visitors in six days, including church personnel from other countries, the organizers said. Enditem