Leader of the underground Catholic Church in China, Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, who endured decades of persecution by the Chinese government, passed away on29 October at the age of 90.

Born on 1 May 1935, Zhiguo served as bishop of the Diocese of Zhengding in Hebei province. He is known for his heroic steadfastness, for refusing to comply with the state-controlled Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA), despite pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CPA is an independent body that appoints bishops without Vatican approval.

Bishop Jia’s loyalty to the Holy See led to torture and having endured multiple imprisonments starting in 1963, with a total of 15 years, highlighting the ongoing challenges to religious freedom in China and the Vatican-China relationship.

In a 2016 interview with La Stampa, Zhiguo cited his faith as the reason he endured years of persecution.

"All we needed was to have God in our heart. This is what sustained and protected me all that time. So it is His doing, not mine," he said.

"There were many difficulties along the way, but God stood by my side, and that was enough for me. Our minds were at rest because we placed all our trust in the Lord. Sometimes difficulties can also help us grow, trusting and loving Jesus," he added.

Meanwhile, the Vatican’s daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, reported his death on 3 November.

"Bishop Jia always carried out his pastoral work in difficult times and in challenging relations with civil authorities, sometimes facing severe consequences for his personal freedom. Nevertheless, he never became discouraged and always sought to do his best in promoting evangelization, the formation of priests, the care of children with disabilities, and maintaining communion with the Holy Father," it wrote in Italian.

"Today, the Diocese of Zhengding counts around 130,000 faithful, is served by numerous priests, and benefits from the presence of various diocesan religious communities," it added.