by Marta Zhao
Haimen — Today, Thursday 15 October 2026, the Reverend Ignatius Ding Zuyao received episcopal ordination. On 24 August 2026, the Holy Father appointed him bishop of Haimen, Jiangsu Province, China, having approved his candidacy within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, as announced in a statement issued by the Holy See Press Office.
The celebration took place at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Nantong, Jiangsu Province. Joseph Shen Bin, Bishop of the Diocese of Shanghai and Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Haimen, presided over the solemn ordination liturgy as principal consecrator.
The concelebrants included John Wang Renlei, Bishop of Xuzhou; Joseph Xu Honggen, Bishop of the Diocese of Suzhou; Francis Lu Xinping, Bishop of Diocese of Nanjing; and Ignatius Wu Jianlin, Auxiliary of the Diocese of Shanghai. Approximately 400 people attended the celebration, including priests, religious sisters and representatives of the lay faithful.
With Pope Leo XIV’s appointment and today’s episcopal ordination, the number of Chinese Catholic bishops ordained in full communion with the Bishop of Rome under the Provisional Agreement on the appointment of bishops has risen to 19. The agreement was signed by the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China on 22 September 2018, during the pontificate of Pope Francis. It was renewed every two years, in 2020 and 2022, before being extended for a further four years in October 2024.
The entire process leading to Ignatius Ding Zuyao’s appointment and episcopal ordination, from its earliest stages, also took place during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.
Meanwhile, the participation of Chinese bishops in ecclesial events held in Rome is becoming increasingly customary: in recent days, Matthew Zhen Xuebin, Coadjutor Bishop of Beijing, and Joseph Huang Bingzhang, Bishop of Shantou, took part in a meeting convened by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to mark the tenth anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation “Amoris Laetitia.” The gathering also gave them an opportunity to establish contacts with heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of Episcopal Conferences from around the world.
The new Bishop
According to information reported in the statement issued by the Holy See Press Office, Ignatius Ding Zuyao was born in August 1986 in Qidong, Jiangsu Province. Between 2001 and 2004, he studied at the Jiangsu Section of Sheshan Seminary, Shanghai. From 2004 to 2011, he studied philosophy and theology at the Beijing Theological Seminary, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree. On 27 October 2011, he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Haimen. From 2012 to 2013, he served as parish priest of Haimenzhen; from 2013 to 2017, he was parish priest at Linjiang; and from 2017 to 2023, he exercised his pastoral ministry as parish priest at Caojiazhen parish. In February 2023, he was appointed parish priest of Qingnian Donglu parish in Nantong, a post he has held to date.
The Jesuits and the proclamation of the Gospel in Haimen
The modern history of evangelization in the Diocese of Haimen, in Jiangsu Province, dates back to the 17th century. A significant role in this history was played by the Italian Jesuit missionary Father Francesco Brancati .
In 1638, Father Brancati arrived on Chongming Island, at the mouth of the Yangtze River, and began missionary work in the surrounding area with the assistance of the Chinese physician Xu Qiyun and the family of Candida Xu, niece of the renowned Paul Xu Guangqi, who was a spiritual son of the great Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci.
On 11 August 1926, Pope Pius XI promulgated the Apostolic Letter “Ut Aucto,” by which part of the territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nanjing was separated to officially establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Haimen. The Jesuit Simon Zhu Kaimin was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Haimen. He was one of the first six Chinese bishops consecrated in Rome in 1926.
On 11 April 1946, Pope Pius XII promulgated the Apostolic Letter “Quotidie Nos,” officially elevating the Apostolic Vicariate of Haimen to the rank of a diocese and establishing the Diocese of Haimen as a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Nanjing.
Following China’s “reopening” in the 1980s, after the difficult years of the Cultural Revolution, Catholic communities in Haimen resumed their pastoral activities. In April 2010, Joseph Shen Bin was ordained ordinary Bishop.
In 2012, the diocese marked the 85th anniversary of its foundation with the unveiling of a bronze statue of Bishop Simon Zhu Kaimin. A museum dedicated to Catholic history, culture and art was also opened, with the aim of documenting and preserving the heritage of the local Church. In 2023, Bishop Shen Bin was transferred to lead the Diocese of Shanghai. The Diocese had remained vacant since then.
The Diocese of Haimen and the roses of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux
Today, the Diocese of Haimen has approximately 30,000 faithful, around 20 priests, 15 parishes and a diocesan congregation of the Sisters of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Amid a vibrant range of charitable and cultural initiatives, the spiritual life of the diocese is marked by deep Marian devotion and a special love for Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Langshan, one of the 12 most important shrines in mainland China, was blessed by Pope Pius XII, who granted a plenary indulgence to pilgrims visiting the church during the months of May and October. The Diocese has designated 9 May as the annual feast day of the shrine.
Another church privileged to offer pilgrims the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence granted by the Pope is the church dedicated to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Caojiazhen, a place known as “the Chinese Lisieux”. The new Bishop previously served as parish priest there.
Haimen Cathedral also houses an altar dedicated to the Saint of Lisieux, inaugurated in 2014. A relic of the Saint is venerated there. It was personally presented to Simon Zhu Kaimin by the saint’s elder sister during his visit to Lisieux on 7 January 1927.
At the ceremony inaugurating the altar, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin, then Ordinary of the diocese, said: “The saint is not only the patroness of the missions; she is also the patroness of the Diocese of Haimen. We decided to build this altar so that, through her intercession, the petals of her roses may spread throughout China and reach the heart of every person.”
The first Bishop consecrated in Rome
The Chinese Jesuit Simon Zhu Kaimin, the first Bishop of Haimen, was among the first six Chinese bishops consecrated in modern times by Pope Pius XI, one hundred years ago, on 28 October 1926, in St Peter’s Basilica. After receiving episcopal ordination from Pope Pius XI, known as Pope Ratti, Bishop Zhu travelled to Lisieux during a his journey through Europe.
In 2012, the diocese celebrated the 85th anniversary of its foundation. Bishop Joseph Shen Bin inaugurated a bronze statue of Bishop Simon Zhu Kaimin, and a museum dedicated to Catholic history, culture and art was opened, to document and preserve the heritage of the local Church.
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