Grieving relatives plead for body of ‘underground’ bishop

Chinese government officials are refusing to return the body of a 94-year-old bishop, who spent more than half his life in prison, for fear  that thousands will flock to his funeral, writer Ellen Teague.

There had been no news of Bishop Cosma Shi Enxiang of Yixian, in China’s Hebei Province, since his arrest 14 years ago, until his family was notified of his death last month.

The communist Government is thought to fear possible demonstrations at a funeral of this “underground” bishop, who was incarcerated for refusing to recognise the state’s Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association. Officials have since denied that he has died.

His great-niece, Shi Chunyan, said: “We are now waiting for the prelate, whether it be his body or ashes, to be returned to Shizhuang, our home town, before we decide what to do.”

The death of another underground bishop, Joseph Fan Xueyan of Baoding, in 1992, led to 30,000 flocking to his funeral and demanding an investigation into his torture and death.