Bishop Peter Ding Lingbin of Changzhi, China, was ordained on
November 10, with the approval of both the Holy See and the Beijing
government.Bishop Ding had been named by the Vatican to head the Changzhi diocese in 2013, but his ordination was delayed, and he acted as apostolic administrator, until the government allowed his ordination.
In a sign that the struggle for control of episcopal appointments has not yet been resolved, the Vatican mandate for the bishop’s election was read privately; a statement of approval from the Chinese bishops’ conference, which operates with government approval, was read aloud at the ceremony.
The ordination came at a time when Vatican officials and Chinese government representatives are reportedly closing in on an agreement that would allow for the appointment of new bishops by the Vatican, from a list of candidates furnished by Chinese officials.