Thousands attend funeral of China’s underground bishop

(January 8, 2009) Thousands of Catholics in China on Wednesday defied snow, freezing temperatures and police to attend the funeral of a bishop who refused to join the government recognized Catholic Church. Some 4000 believers came to pay their last respects Coadjutor Bishop Leo Yao Liang of Xiwanzi, in Hebei province, who died on 30 December at the age of 87. Bishop Yao spent 30 years in prison for not joining the government-sponsored church called the Patriotic Association. From 2006 to 2009 he was again arrested by the police for the same reason. People participated in the funeral Mass despite prohibitions and restraints by public security which for days has stopped people from outside the country coming to town and take part in the funeral. As the bishop was an underground pastor, he was not recognized by the government, thus local authorities obliged no use of Episcopal insignia in the Church ceremony, and to refer to the deceased prelate only as "Pastor Yao" not "Bishop Yao".