ASIA/CHINA - Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang takes up office in Hangzhou: He had been appointed by Pope Francis on June 12

by Marta Zhao

Hangzhou (Fides Agency) - Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang took office today, Thursday, June 27, in the episcopal see of Hangzhou, the capital of the Chinese province of Zhejiang. Bishop Yang was transferred from the episcopal see of Zhoucun to Hanghzhou by appointment of Pope Francis. Last Saturday's bulletin of the Press Office (cf. Fides 22/6/2024) stated: "In the context of the dialog on the application of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China, the Holy Father appointed Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang as Bishop of Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province, China) on 12 June 2024 and transferred him from the Episcopal See of Zhoucun (Shandong Province, China)".
According to information available to Fides, the ceremony for the installation of the new bishop was presided over by the Chancellor of the diocese, Rev. Paul Zheng Jiamao, while Rev. Joseph Yang Yu read out the letter of recognition from the Chinese bishops. The bishop of Shanghai, Joseph Shen Bin, and the bishop of the diocese of Ningbo (Zhejiang province), Franz Xaver Jin Yangke, took part in the service.
In his address, Bishop Joseph Yang affirmed that he would unite and guide priests and laity to promote a healthy transmission of the Catholic faith and proclaim the Gospel in Hangzhou. "Among other things," Bishop Yang said, "we will contribute to the growth of Zhejiang Province, the sinicization of religious practices and the modernization of the administration of religious affairs."
Bishop Joseph Yang Yongqiang was born in Boxing (Shandong) on April 11, 1970, as reported in the bulletin of the Vatican Press Office on Saturday, June 22. He completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Holy Spirit Seminary in Shandong and at the Sheshan Seminary in Shanghai. He was ordained a priest on June 15, 1995. After serving as a pastor, he was sent to the National Seminary in Beijing for further training. He later worked as a lecturer at the Holy Spirit Seminary, where he himself had been trained. He was appointed Bishop Coadjutor of Zhoucun, consecrated on November 15, 2010 and succeeded Bishop Ma Xuesheng as head of this episcopal see on February 8, 2013. On June 12, 2024, Pope Francis appointed Joseph Yang Yongqiang as Bishop of Hangzhou.
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, is one of the most economically and technologically developed cities in the country. It has been at the top of the Chinese gross domestic product (GDP) rankings for several years in a row. Today, Hangzhou has rapidly transformed from a tourist and cultural city into an industrial city of international importance and has been chosen to host events such as the 2016 G20 Summit and the 2022 Asian Games. Industrial development and the associated restructuring continue to offer the city opportunities for growth. Jack Ma Yun also started his digital business from here with the founding of "Alibaba.com", which later became the "Alibaba Group".
The Catholic community of Hangzhou can look back on a long history that includes extraordinary Jesuit missionaries such as Matteo Ricci, Lazare Cattaneo and Nicolas Trigault. In this line, the figure of Martino Martini stands out above all: the city attaches great importance to the mausoleum in a park dedicated to the great Italian Jesuit historian, geographer and cartographer who lived from 1614 to 1661. (Fides Agency 27/6/2024)

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