Mgr John Yang Shudao, underground archbishop of Fuzhou, dies
by Zhen Yuan
The prelate, 91, died last Saturday in Fuzhou (Fujian). A pillar of the underground Church, he spent most of his life in prison. His last sentence to prison dates back to 2001.
Fuzhou (AsiaNews) – Underground Bishop John Yang Shudao of Fuzhou died on Saturday at the age of 91. His body has been transferred to his native place Lianjiang County, where his funeral is scheduled for Wednesday.
Bishop Yang entered Fuzhou Minor Seminary at the age of 14. He was ordained priest in 1947 but spent most of his life in prison.
In 1955, Communist authorities sentenced him to life imprisonment because he was a Catholic priest. In 1981, upon his release, he was given five more years behind bars.
In 1987, he was appointed underground bishop on 8 March. A year later, he was arrested again and sentenced to three years.
Released in 1991, he was named archbishop of Fuzhou in 1995. In 2001, he was detained for 91 days on two separate occasions.
Fuzhou is one of the most troubled dioceses in China’s Catholic Church. For years, it has been split between underground and official Catholics.
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