A moving story of spiritual awakening has emerged from Spain, where a young Chinese woman named Shushu embraced Catholicism after an unexpected encounter with a crucifix in a cathedral. Raised in a strictly atheist environment in China, Shushu had never been exposed to religion until she moved to Spain in 2016 to study Spanish language and history.
On October 31, 2016, while walking through the city of Alcalá de Henares after a Halloween party, she was drawn into the Cathedral of Saints Justus and Pastor by the sound of sacred music. Inside, she saw a large crucifix and felt an overwhelming sense of peace and a powerful intuition that the figure on the cross was not just a man, but God Himself. This moment marked the beginning of a deep personal transformation.
Despite having no prior knowledge of Christianity, Shushu was moved to speak to a priest in the cathedral who welcomed her with warmth. She was later introduced to the Servants of the Home of the Mother, a religious community of nuns whose joy and faith impressed her. Her journey deepened as she got to know the community and attended Masses, eventually leading her to desire baptism.
When one of the sisters asked if she wanted to be baptized, she realized her heartfelt longing to become a daughter of God. She was baptized in the same cathedral where her journey began, taking the name Shushu María. She went on to marry in the church and now has a son named Emmanuel with her husband, Josemi.
Shushu recently shared her testimony publicly during Spain’s Marian Eucharistic Youth Day held on July 4, 2025, at the shrine of Covadonga. Standing beside her husband and son, she recounted her journey from atheism to faith and expressed her gratitude to Spain, which she now calls her spiritual homeland.
Her story is part of a growing number of conversion testimonies emerging from Chinese individuals living abroad, many of whom find faith through art, music, and the welcoming embrace of Christian communities. Shushu’s experience serves as a powerful reminder of how moments of grace can profoundly change lives, even when least expected.