Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kaifeng (Agenzia Fides) - Archbishop Giovanni Battista Liang Xisheng, Archbishop of Kaifeng in Henan province, mainland China, died on 23 September at the age of 84. Archbishop died of kidney failure and cardiac complications following surgery on one of his legs, fractured during a fall in January this year.
Giovanni Battista Liang was born on 23 March 1923. He suffered for his faith for many years and was not ordained until 13 March 1980 when he was almost sixty years old. He was ordained a Bishop on 31 August 1989. In February 2002 he was hurt in a serious road accident his mental and physical condition began to decline rapidly. Before the accident the praiseworthy archbishop was very present and active.
The archdiocese of Kaifeng, situated in the north of Henan province about 600 km south of Beijing, has about 30,000 Catholics, most of them are peasants, 30 priests and about 70 women religious of three different diocesan Congregations. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 10/10/2007; righe 13, parole 178)
