St Paul's Cathedral in Wenzhou Chinese authorities have kidnapped Catholic Bishop Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou, according to reports emerging from China.
The Vatican confirmed Bishop Shao to lead the diocese in September 2016, following the death of his predecessor, Bishop Vincent Zhu Weifang, who was imprisoned for 16 years.
The 58-year-old prelate was taken by authorities “on vacation,” adding that it was not the first time the bishop was taken away. He has been arrested several times since he was appointed to the diocese in 2016.
Speaking anonymously, Catholics in the region expressed concern for the safety of Bishop Shao and were praying that that “the Lord will give [Bishop Shao] confidence and courage, that he will not be disheartened by what has happened”.
Detentions of underground clergy in China are commonplace as a means of pressuring them to join the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and the “abductions” of religious leaders usually occur on the eve of important Catholic events, such as Christmas, Easter, the Feast of the Assumption, and All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day. In recent years, authorities have blocked the entrance to the Wenzhou cemetery ahead of All Souls’ Day to prevent Catholics from congregating.
In Zhejiang, the percentage of Christians exceeds 10%, and the Faithful “are very zealous”, according to local sources.
Earlier in 2021, Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu of Xinxiang disappeared for months after Chinese officials detained him along with other clergy and seminarians opposed to joining the state-run church.