Advertise in this spot on CatholicCulture.org. View all ads.

Catholic World News News Feature

Chinese underground bishop arrested March 09, 2004

Bishop Wei Jingyi, who serves the underground Church of Qiqihar, has been arrested by Chinese authorities, the AsiaNews service reports.

Bishop Jingyi, the youngest bishop of the underground Church, was reportedly taken into custody at an airport where he had planned to meet friends from abroad. He has been a bishop since 1995, and briefly served as secretary for the "Conference of Underground Bishops"-- a group that was disbanded by a wave of arrests.

[For a fuller report see the AsiaNews web site.]

The Roman Catholic Bishop of the underground (unofficial) diocese of Qiqihar, was arrested on the way from Harbin Airport (in Heilongjiang, Northeast China). The news was announced by the Cardinal Kung Foundation of Stamford (Connecticut, USA).

According to the information received, the bishop had gone to the airport to meet some foreign friends. Upon leaving the airport at the tollbooth, he was detained and arrested.

Bishop Wei Jingyi, 46, is the youngest bishop of the unofficial church, which does not accept the controls placed by the government over religious activities. For the govenment, not to submit to its control means to declare yourself an enemy of public order. Bishop Jingyi was ordained bishop of Qiqihar, in 1995, in Heilongjian, one of the dioceses in northern China. He was known for his fidelity and affection for the Holy Father and his involvement in evangelizaton.

For this, Bishop Jingyi was subjected to 4 years in forced labor, from 1987-1989 and 1990-1992.