BREAKING NEWS

China ordains third bishop without Pope's approval

By REUTERS

JULY 14, 2011 15:14

BEIJING - China ordained a third bishop without the Pope's approval on Thursday, the honorary president of the state-backed church said, in a move likely to further strain tense relations between the Chinese government and the Vatican.

China's state-sanctioned Catholic church ordained Joseph Huang Bingzhang as bishop in Shantou city in southern Guangdong province on Thursday morning, the honorary president of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, Liu Bainian, said, citing sources with direct knowledge.

Eight bishops loyal to the Holy See participated in the ceremony, a source close to the Vatican told Reuters, citing six sources who had direct knowledge of the situation. He declined to be named, citing the sensitivity of the matter.

"All 8 bishops were requested by civil authorities to go and ordain the new illicit bishop," said the source. "All of them were accompanied by the police to the place of the event. The majority of the bishops refused and resisted to go."

The ordination is the latest in a long-running dispute between the Vatican and Beijing over the status of China's state-backed Church, which has disregarded injunctions not to name bishops without papal authorization.

Spain PM Sanchez says he is suspending public duties to "reflect"

By REUTERS

04/24/2024 08:41 PM

US to name former UN official as new Gaza aid envoy

By REUTERS

04/24/2024 07:33 PM

Iranian rapper who took part in Mahsa Amini protests sentenced to death

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

04/24/2024 06:48 PM

Two rockets fired toward Sderot, house hit by shrapnel

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

04/24/2024 06:42 PM