Chinese Bishop Placidus Pei Dies at 91 After Lifelong State Scrutiny
Bishop Placidus Pei Ronggui, the underground bishop of Luoyang, passed away in China on Saturday at the age of 91.
Originally a Trappist monk from Hebei, he was not ordained as a priest until 1981, when he was 48 years old — well after the Cultural Revolution.
To avoid detection, he frequently held his underground masses at 2 a.m.
In 1989, Pei survived a violent raid on his temporary church tent at Easter. The raid was so brutal that it caused two deaths and injured more than 300 people. Thirty-two people were arrested. Father Pei evaded capture and continued his clandestine mission for months. He was arrested in September and imprisoned until March 1993.
Following his release, he endured repeated short-term detentions and constant surveillance under state scrutiny.
In 2003, with the Holy See's consent, Bishop Peter Li Hongye ordained him as his coadjutor for the underground Diocese of Luoyang in the neighbouring province of Henan.
Even in his old age and in poor health, local authorities …More
Bishop Placidus Pei Ronggui, underground bishop of Luoyang, died on September 6 at age 91. He spent decades in prison, harassment, and surveillance for refusing to join China’s state-controlled church. A former Trappist monk, he endured persecution since the 1950s, including years in jail and violent crackdowns on worship. Ordained a priest in 1981 and consecrated bishop in 2003 with Vatican approval, he was known for declaring that true faith in China inevitably leads to persecution. Catholics remember him as a steadfast witness who taught that suffering for God is a blessing.
@Paolo F It is not Holy Mother the Church Who is committing evil, but immoral churchmen who are doing evil in Her Holy Name. Holy Mother the Church is the Virginal Spotless Bride of Christ, Perfect and Unblemished! God bless you!