CNA Staff, Aug 4, 2020 / 13:10 pm
A Catholic bishop in China has denied that the government plans to tear down his cathedral, after local Catholics expressed concern at Communist authorities taking over land belonging to the diocese.
Bishop Anthony Dang Minyan of the Diocese of Xi'an, which is located in the province of Shaanxi, reassured local Catholics this week that there are no plans to demolish St. Francis Cathedral, and that the building is in fact a "provincial heritage."
The cathedral dates back to the early 18th century, when it was constructed by Italian missionaries.
Reports of plans to destroy the historic church circulated on Chinese social media after it emerged that local government officials intend to seize Church lands on either side of the cathedral. Houses rented on the land, purchased by the previous bishop, Anthony Li Du'an, are key source of income for the local Church. The houses are set to be demolished to create a public park.