Hu Jintao at Canossa?
21st Century Investiture Controversy
I knew my Medieval History major would come in handy some day.
Vatican throws out China bishops
The Vatican is excommunicating two bishops who were illegally ordained by China’s breakaway Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his “deep displeasure” over the appointments. The rift comes as Beijing and the Vatican are engaged in talks with the aim of re-establishing relations, which were severed more than 50 years ago.
Excommunication is automatic under Church law for bishops who are illegally ordained, says the BBC’s David Willey in Rome. The Vatican also said it had received information that bishops had come under “strong pressure and threats” to take part in the ordinations. If that was proved, the excommunications could be suspended, our correspondent says.
There are an estimated 10 million Catholics in China, divided between the officially tolerated Patriotic Church, and an underground church loyal to Rome.
The Chinese Church does not recognise the Vatican’s power to appoint bishops, causing tensions between the two sides.
Hu Jintao, barefoot in the snow, at the Pope’s castle, in the Italian mountains? If it comes to that, I will be live-blogging it.
The Sino-US pincer