US EditionPope Erects New Diocese in China, Names New Bishop
The new Diocese of Zhangjiakou unites former dioceses and serves 85,000 Catholics with 89 priests under Bishop Joseph Wang Zhengui, advancing pastoral care under Vatican-China accord.
- On September 10, 2025, Pope Leo XIV abolished the former ecclesiastical territories of Xuanhua and Xiwanzi in mainland China and established the new Diocese of Zhangjiakou, appointing Bishop Joseph Wang Zhengui as its leader.
- This development came after a temporary deal signed in 2018 by the Holy See and China, which establishes guidelines for collaboration on the appointment of bishops, and was extended for another four years in October 2024.
- The new diocese covers the city of Zhangjiakou and surrounding areas, serving about 85,000 Catholics with 89 priests in a population of over four million in Hebei province northwest of Beijing.
- Bishop Wang Zhengui, born in 1962, attended seminary in Hebei , was ordained in 1990, and was appointed bishop with papal approval under the provisional agreement to better serve the underground church.
- The establishment signifies a new level of Vatican-China cooperation to align diocesan boundaries with civil jurisdictions and enhance pastoral care, though unresolved tensions with state authorities remain.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Vatican announces suppression of 2 historic dioceses in China, episcopal ordination of first bishop of Zhangjiakou
The first bishop of the newly established Diocese of Zhangjiakou in northern China was ordained to the episcopate Sept. 10, the Vatican has announced. The Vatican… The post Vatican announces suppression of 2 historic dioceses in China, episcopal ordination of first bishop of Zhangjiakou appeared first on CatholicVote org.
Pope Leo approves reordering of Chinese dioceses, appoints new bishop
Pope Leo XIV has suppressed two dioceses in mainland China, and erected a new diocese with a new bishop, the Vatican announced September 10, a move suggesting a new level of cooperation between China and the Vatican on mainland Church affairs.Xishiku Church, Beijing, China. Image via Shutterstock.The announcement represents the first occasion under Pope Leo in which the territory of mainland Chinese dioceses has been altered to reflect civil jur…
Pope Leo XIV creates ‘new’ China diocese amid diocesan border dispute with Beijing
St. Francis Xavier statue in front St. Joseph Cathedral in Beijing, China, Feb. 25, 2016. / Credit: Zvonimir Atletic/Shutterstock Rome Newsroom, Sep 10, 2025 / 12:21 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV has created a new Catholic diocese in northern China wi... [...]
Pope creates ‘new’ China diocese amid diocesan border dispute with Beijing
St. Francis Xavier statue in front St. Joseph Cathedral in Beijing, China, Feb. 25, 2016. / Credit: Zvonimir Atletic/Shutterstock Rome Newsroom, Sep 10, 2025 / 12:21 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV has created a new Catholic diocese in northern China with the same name as one established decades ago by Beijing without Vatican approval, underscoring ongoing tensions over how China has redrawn Catholic diocesan borders independently of Rome. The Vatican an…
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