This week in Christian history: Charles Stanley and wife divorce, first council in China
Catholic Church holds first Council in China – May 15, 1924
This week marks the anniversary of when the Roman Catholic Church held its first-ever plenary council in China, known as the First Council for China or “Primum Concilium Sinense.”
Held at the Cathedral of Saint Ignatius in Shanghai, the gathering included an apostolic delegate representing Pope Pius XI, bishops, priests from all regions of China and other church officials.
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“Members of different nationalities and religious orders contributed to the issue of decrees on various aspects of ecclesiastical life in China. The decrees had a significant influence on evangelization in the following decades,” explained The University of Saint Joseph in Macao.
Last year, the Pontifical Urban University in Rome hosted an international conference marking the 100th anniversary of the First Council, which included a video message from Pope Francis.
“That Council was indeed an important step in the journey of the Catholic Church in the great country that is China,” the pontiff stated.
“The Holy Spirit brought them together, made harmony grow among them, led them along paths that many among them would not have imagined, overcoming even perplexity and resistance.”
