Peter Zhao

He contracted COVID-19 in February but had recovered. For a long time, he worked in the underground Church. In 2011 he was recognised by the government, but spent many years in prison as well as forced labour and re-education camps.

The bishop would be allowed to participate, but yesterday evening he was forbidden to celebrate Mass for the religious professions of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Bishop Guo: "I am a man and not a monkey who favors the wishes of others". The underground bishop has withdrawn his request for recognition in order not to submit to the organizations that want "the independence" of the Church. The new cathedral built with many government funds.

The underground bishop, who died on 8 June, was not given a solemn funeral or acknowledged in accordance with his status as a bishop. Official priests and nuns were not allowed to attend the services. Chinese authorities are afraid of bishops even when they are dead.

The government wants to demolish the church because it is "too visible from the highway". It also says that there are no building permits. But the faithful say this is false. The Communist Party changes attitudes "like the moon": first it gives the permits, then it denies them. Prayer campaign of the faithful. Handan is only the first step: other dioceses are next.

The faithful remained in prayer throughout the day, powerless as they watched the destruction. The province of Henan (with 4% of Christians) is a pilot experiment for repression. Party violence tries to curb conversions.

Bishop Guo, an auxiliary bishop not recognized by the government, was able to celebrate with episcopal insignia. Perhaps there was an intervention by the Vatican. Patriotic Association membership is optional.

Members of the United Front, police, representatives of the Religious Affairs Bureau entered the churches while Mass was being celebrated, interrupted the liturgical services, chased the faithful away, threatened them and decreed the closure of the communities. Msgr. Wei Jingyi, the bishop of Qiqihar, despite being underground, has good relations with the government. The suppression occurred after the signing of the China-Holy See Agreement.

The ceremony presided over by the vice president of the Council of Chinese bishops, Msgr. Yang Yongqiang, from Zhoucun. For the Vatican, Msgr. Jin has been the ordinary of the diocese since 2010 and Msgr. Zhu Baoyu is bishop emeritus. For the government, the former is coadjutor and the latter is the ordinary. Msgr Zhu passed from underground to official in 2010 and was installed by the government as the ordinary bishop of Nanyang at the age of 89.

The first episcopal ordination without papal mandate is celebrated with meeting and a seminar. The original event split the Chinese Church. For Wang Zuoan, deputy chief of the United Front, the principles of independence and self-management will not be eliminated "at any time and under any circumstances". Noting that more than half of China’s 98 dioceses have no bishop and in others prelates are very old, Mgr Ma Yinglin called for “politically reliable" bishops.