China: Catholic Priest and layman Still Detained

Fr Zhangli, aged 45, and the layman Zhang Jianlin, 42, were detained as they were organising their trip to Sheshan, and were sent to prison in Xuanhua. They have still not been released.

ROME (AsiaNews) - The underground Catholic community of Xuanhua (Hebei) is concerned over the fate of Fr Zhangli and a layman, Zhang Jianli, who have been in police custody for almost two months.

The two were arrested because they wanted to go to the shrine of Sheshan last May 24, according to the indications given by Benedict XVI in his letter to Chinese Catholics.

The pope established that on May 24 every year, a world day of prayer for the Church in China would be celebrated, with prayers to Our Lady of Sheshan, whose feast falls on the same day. Typically, hundreds of thousands of faithful go to the shrine, near Shanghai, on that date.

But this year - because of security ahead of the Olympics, and in order to oppose the pope's indications - all of the dioceses, except for that of Shanghai, were prohibited from sending pilgrims to the shrine.

AsiaNews documented the many obstacles set up by the police against the Christian communities in China, to block them from participating in the pilgrimages to Sheshan.

According to testimonies sent to AsiaNews, all of the priests of the diocese of Xuanhua were threatened with "grave consequences" if they dared to carry out religious activities on May 24.

Fr Zhangli, aged 45, and the layman Zhang Jianlin, 42, were detained as they were organising their trip to Sheshan, and were sent to prison in Xuanhua. They have still not been released.

The police and government of the district of Xuanhua have not replied to any questions, or have said that they know nothing about the case.

But testimonies sent to AsiaNews confirm that the two are in the prison of Xuanhua, and that the priest's mother has been allowed to visit him.

Another six priests from the area have been in the Qingyuan prison for some time - some of them for years. The Cardinal Kung Foundation, which gave news of the arrest of Zhangli and Zhang Jianli, says that both are priests.

On the occasion of the Olympics, the government is very nervous over possible demonstrations, assemblies, and riots, which could destroy the peaceful image of the Games.

According to some analysts, many arrests in recent months are due to security "paranoia". But religious persecution has been going on for much longer.