Two Priests Released, Six Others Arrested in Hebei

30 November 2005

On November 16, The Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the arrest of Bishop Jai Zhiguo and two priests (click here for more information) on November 7-8. On November 24, the Catholic news agency Zenit reported that the two priests had been released. Bishop Jai remains detained in a so-called "study session." It has also been learned that six priests in Bishop Jai's diocese of Zheng Ding in Hebei Province were arrested on November 18. The Cardinal Kung Foundation reports that two, Wan Jin Shan and Gao Lingshen, were also severely beaten during the arrests. Both men were in their 50s. Guo Zhijun (36) Zhang Ziuchi (60), Peng Jianjun (30) and Zhang Yinhu (45) were also arrested. At the last reports, all six priests were detained in the Gaocheng security bureau.

Pray that the arrests will stop and that those in prison will be released soon. Pray that Christ will be their strength as they suffer for the sake of their beliefs. Pray that truth will prevail in China despite the government's concentrated efforts to silence it.

For more information on the persecution facing the Chinese Church, click here. Video reports from China, including the actual destruction of a church building is available on the multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com. Visit our weblog page to read Glenn Penner's November 11 and 22 comments concerning the persecution of Christians in China.

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.