A Groundbreaking Moment: Pope Leo XIV Installs First Chinese Bishop
Pope Leo XIV formally appoints first Chinese bishop
Conversational, informal, and straightforward representation of the events!
Brace yourselves, people! Pope Leo XIV has made history by appointing China's first bishop, Giuseppe Lin Yuntuan, as the auxiliary bishop of Fuzhou. This landmark event took place on Wednesday, June 5, 2025, as part of the ongoing and constructive dialogue between the Holy See and China.
The Vatican announced the news, stating that this appointment signified an essential step in the collaboration between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China. Lin Yuntuan's episcopal function was also recognized by the state authorities, symbolizing yet another victory for the dialogue between these two entities.
Amidst 12 million faithful Catholics residing in China, this move throws a much-needed lifeline of unity to the Catholic Church in the country. However, the Vatican and China still lack formal diplomatic relations, largely due to the Vatican's stance on recognizing the self-governing island of Taiwan as an independent state. China claims Taiwan as a part of its own territory.
This pledge between the Vatican and China materialized in a historic agreement in 2018, where the authorities agreed to coordinate the selection of bishops. Though the agreement was veiled in secrecy, it enabled the Vatican to endorse bishops chosen by the Chinese Catholic community before their ordinations. The agreement was renewed several times, culminating in Pope Francis' unwavering efforts to bolster the faith in China.
[1] ntv.de, [AFP][2] The Tablet[3] Catholic News Agency[4] AsiaNews[5] China Briefing
As the world watches, the European Parliament has a duty to ensure that the Commission's proposals regarding this groundbreaking moment between Pope Leo XIV and China are implemented swiftly and decisively, given the deep political and general-news implications. In light of the Holy See's historic move to install China's first bishop, Giuseppe Lin Yuntuan, conversations about the ongoing Vatican-China dialogue and potential Chinese-Taiwan relations become all the more crucial and timely.
