Seven Priests Released; Elderly Bishop Sentenced to Re-Education

11 May 2005

The Vatican and China flag Last week, The Voice of the Martyrs reported on the arrest of seven Chinese Catholic priests as they traveled to a retreat on April 27 (click here for details). VOM has since learned that six of the priests were released the next day and the seventh, Li Suchuan, was released a few days later. According to AsiaNews, the priests were released because the Zhengding diocese's "special situation." Sources report that local police in that area are prepared to "turn a blind eye" to the activities of the non-official Catholic Church as long as they "are not too obvious."

AsiaNews also reports that the Auxiliary Bishop of Xiwanzi in Hebei Province has been detained and is being subjected to "re-education." The 83-year-old Bishop Yao Liang was arrested on March 31 and then released in mid-April. Soon after his release, he was again detained. The purpose of the "re-education" is undoubtedly to convince the bishop to leave the underground Catholic Church and join the official government church.

Pray for physical and spiritual strength of Bishop Yao. Pray for Christian leaders throughout China facing pressure from authorities. Continue to pray for those in prison for their faith. A list of Christians presently in prison for their faith, along with ways you can help, is available online.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in China, click here.

China

Current Ministry Projects
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada continues to help distribute Bibles to Christians in the country, making it possible for them to have their own printed version of God's Word. Additionally, VOMC works with various mission partners to facilitate a Biblical understanding of persecution and discipleship, while presenting ways to effectively respond and minister within the context of hostility.

Project Funds: Underground Church, Bible, Relief & Development
Country Information
Population
1,413,142,846 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Han Chinese (91.1), ethnic minorities (8.9 - includes Zhang, Hui, Manchu, Uighur, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh, Dai, and other nationalities) (2021 est.)

Religion (%)
Folk religion (21.9), Buddhist (18.2), Christian (5.1), Muslim (1.8), Hindu (< 0.1), Jewish (< 0.1), other (0.7 - includes Daoist [Taoist]), unaffiliated (52.1) (2021 est.)

Leader
President Xi Jinping (2013)

Government type
Communist party-led state

Legal system
Based on civil law system; influenced by Soviet and continental European civil law systems

Sources: CIA World Factbook
Pray for China
Pray that the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout China without government interference so many more names can be added to the Lamb's "Book of Life." May there also be a spirit of unity demonstrated among the country's growing churches, further strengthening existing believers and spurring them on in their ministry service and evangelistic outreach within the country's numerous communities.