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ROME – The Vatican announced on Saturday that it has signed an "interim agreement" with China on the appointment of bishops, a breakthrough on an issue that has fueled decades of tension between the Holy See and Beijing.
Beijing's long-standing insistence that it must endorse China's appointments ran up against the principle of absolute papal authority to choose bishops.
A Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, speaking in Vilnius, Lithuania, said that the goal of the agreement "is not political but pastoral, allowing worshipers to live. Have bishops in communion with Rome but recognized by the Chinese authorities. "
He did not immediately provide details of the agreement, announced in the Vatican and Beijing shortly after the start of Pope Francis' visit to the Baltic States.
The Vatican described the interim agreement as "the fruit of a gradual and reciprocal rapprochement" after a "long and painstaking process of negotiation" and declared that it allowed for periodic review. "It's about the appointment of bishops, a matter of great importance to the life of the church, and creates the conditions for greater bilateral collaboration" the announcement has been added.
While the agreement could help pave the way for formal diplomatic relations and possibly a possible papal trip to China, it would certainly anger Roman Catholics who vigorously advocated for the Vatican to maintain a hard line. and the basic faithful have been persecuted and imprisoned.
Since communism took root in China, there have been in practice two Catholic churches – one sanctioned by the government and a clandestine faithful to the Vatican.
The agreement was signed in Beijing at a meeting between Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Chao and the Vatican under the Secretary of State Relations, Mgr. Antoine Camilleri.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry issued a statement in which it said: "China and the Vatican will continue to maintain communications and advance the process of improving relations between the two sides."
