Bishop Philippus Petrus Zhao Zhendong of Xuanhua 87, passed away quietly while studying earlier this month. The Leader of the Underground Catholic Church in China, had been imprisoned by the government for 18 years during the Cultural Revolution.
Bishop Zhao a Catholic convert, was again imprisoned in 2004 for 1 year, for Ordaining Priests in defiance of government orders. He was laid to rest last week. Chinese officials did not place any restrictions on attendance by the mourners, in contrast to earlier funerals when the government placed tight restrictions on attendance of funerals of underground church leaders.
