Published On 5/24/2026
Pope Leo XIV called for prayers for the unity of the Catholic Church in China, which is divided between an official church controlled by Beijing and an underground church that remains loyal to Rome.
Pope Leo said on Sunday: “Let us join our prayers with those of the Chinese Catholics, as an expression of our love for them and their connection with the universal Church and with the Successor of Peter.”
The American Pope made this call on the occasion of the “Day of Prayer for the Church in China,” which falls on Sunday.
In 2018, the Vatican and China signed a historic agreement on the issue of appointing Catholic bishops in the communist country, which is a thorny issue in light of the tension over the situation of Catholics in this country. The agreement was last renewed in October 2024 for a period of 4 years.
The agreement – the contents of which were not revealed – aims to unite Chinese Catholics, while giving the Pope the final say in appointing bishops.
However, the implementation of the agreement has witnessed some obstacles and obstacles in recent years, as some appointments took place without obtaining the approval of the Pope of the Vatican.
According to the Vatican and Western estimates, China has about 12 million Catholics.
