XUZHOU, China — China consecrated a new bishop in its state-sanctioned Catholic Church Nov. 30, 2006, defying the Vatican’s claim to exclusive authority over the appointment of bishops. Wang Renlei, vicar-general of the Xuzhou Diocese in eastern China, was elevated to the rank of bishop in a two-hour ceremony that drew more than 1,000 people. The Vatican could not be reached for comment on China’s move, which came as Pope Benedict XVI was concluding a high-profile visit to Turkey.
The consecration threatens to further strain relations between the Vatican and China. The world’s largest church and most populous country have frequently clashed over which one ultimately holds the authority to appoint bishops. When China consecrated two bishops without papal approval last May, the decision shook efforts on both sides to re-establish diplomatic ties, which were severed in 1951.
Five million Chinese Catholics currently belong to a state–controlled "Catholic" church, while at least 8 million faithful are believed to belong to an underground church loyal to Rome. Members of the underground church are routinely harassed, beaten and jailed by Chinese authorities.
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