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China Ordains 18th Bishop Under Vatican Agreement
Confirmed
In Short: The Vatican has announced the ordination of Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan as auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou, marking the 18th bishop ordained under the Sino-Vatican agreement.
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Lin on June 5, 2025, and Chinese authorities granted him civil recognition on June 11. This marks the fourth episcopal ordination celebrated since June 15 and the eighth during the pontificate of Leo XIV under the agreement. The Vatican generally does not announce episcopal appointments in China until the day of the bishop’s ordination.
Bishop Paul Liu Honggang, another bishop ordained under the agreement, was consecrated on August 31 at the cathedral of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Pingcheng district of Shanxi province. Liu is the 17th Chinese bishop ordained or recognized by the Vatican since the Sino-Vatican deal was signed in 2018. Six new bishops have been ordained since Pope Leo XIV began his pontificate on May 8, 2025.
The ordination ceremony for Bishop Paul Liu Honggang was presided over by Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai, chairman of the state-sanctioned Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC) and vice-chairman of the state-aligned Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA). Four bishops from Shanxi province—Peter Ding Lingbin of Changzhi, Peter Liu Genzhu of Linfen, Paul Ma Cunguo of Shuozhou, and Anthony Ji Weizhong of Lüliang—concelebrated the Mass.
Archbishop Andrew Ding Yang’s episcopal ordination is the eighth held during Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, though not all eight bishops were appointed by him. The ordinations continue to be a significant development in the relationship between the Vatican and the Chinese government, reflecting the ongoing dialogue and cooperation on the appointment of bishops.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- According to the Vatican, Leo also appointed Father Joseph Chang Yanfeng that day.
- The Vatican announced on Monday the most recent in a growing list of bishops selected and installed under the norms of the 2018 agreement with the Chinese government on episcopal appointments.