Hallow, the #1 prayer app in the world, has been ousted from Chinese app stores after the communist nation deemed some of its content “illegal.” The app, which was propelled into mainstream use after running a Super Bowl ad featuring Mark Whalberg and Jonathan Roumie, has pledged to continue to serve the Church in China, but it is unclear if there are even steps Hallow can take to return to the Chinese marketplace.
Founder and CEO of Hallow, Inc., Alex Jones revealed the situation in a brief post on X (formerly Twitter) in which he simply stated that the Hallow app was no longer available in China:
According to Catholic World Report, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) informed Jones that the Hallow app was “deemed to include content on the app that is illegal in China and so must be removed.” The Chinese government offered no further explanation as to why the app was removed from stores, or what steps could be taken for Hallow’s return.
While Jones did not wish to rush to speculation as to reasons for the app’s removal, Catholic World Report pointed out Hallow’s recent addition of an audio series that explores the life and works of Pope St. John Paul II. Titled “Witness to Hope,” the series references JPII’s staunch resistance to communism, a topic strictly censored by the Chinese authorities.
However, Jones did comment:
“We will continue to try and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ in China as best we can through our website, web application, social media content, but mostly with our prayers,” Jones said.
The Chinese government has a history of censoring religious-based apps. In 2021, the CAC used cyber law to see both a Bible app and a Quran app off the Apple’s Chinese App Store. Not just limited to religious apps, those that offer private encrypted messaging – like WhatsApp and Telegram – have also been removed, with the CAC citing “national security concerns.”
