Chinese Catholic bishop who spent 21 years in prison dies of cancer

Published: 2005-06-08

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A Chinese Catholic bishop who had spent 21 years in prison and work camps died of bone cancer May 25 at the age of 79, the Vatican newspaper said. "When he was told that Pope Benedict XVI knew of his illness, blessed him and was praying for him, the prelate was moved and whispered, 'I am not worthy of that,'" the newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, reported. The newspaper reported June 8 that Bishop John Wang Xixian of Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, had been ordained to the priesthood in 1953 and taught in the diocesan seminary until he was arrested in 1957. In 1980, the government released him and allowed him to minister in the cathedral parish and to teach in the seminary. He was ordained a bishop in 1997, the Vatican newspaper said, although the Vatican's official yearbook has never listed him as the diocesan bishop.

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