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The Vatican and the Chinese government reached an agreement on the recognition of Chinese Catholic bishops, ending a multi-year debate on the power to appoint bishops in China.
Vatican officials told the New York Times that an interim agreement was reached on Saturday, which included Pope Francis' recognition of seven bishops appointed by the Chinese government and previously excommunicated by the church. Catholic.
Initially, it was unclear whether the agreement allowed the Chinese government to appoint bishops in the future, but Vatican officials told The Times that it included recognition of the pope as the undisputed leader of the Catholic Church in China.
"A provisional agreement on the appointment of bishops was signed today in Beijing by the Holy See and the People's Republic of China, in the hope that it will contribute positively to the life of the Church in China and the good of the Chinese people, peace in the world, "read a statement on the Vatican information website.
The status of the "30 bishops" clandestine "faithful to Pope Francis but not recognized by the Chinese government was also uncertain.
A Vatican spokesman traveling with the pope told The Times that the purpose of the agreement was to "allow the faithful to have bishops in communion with Rome but recognized by the Chinese authorities".
An archbishop of Beijing told The Times when he insisted on the authority to appoint bishops in China that "the Holy Father can say something about the appointment of bishops," adding that the agreement would allow "the intervention of the Holy Father for sure. "
The Chinese Communist Party suppressed religious groups, including Catholics, in the 1950s after taking control of the country. The repression has resulted in the dissolution of diplomatic relations between the Vatican and China for decades.
Negotiations for the reintegration of Chinese Catholics into the official church began in 2007 under Pope Benedict XVI.
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