Beijing, China - China says this week's ordination of an auxiliary bishop in Shanghai had not been approved by the Vatican.
"He was chosen by our Shanghai Catholic community and was approved by the Chinese Catholic Bishops College," an identified official with the Shanghai Religious Affairs Bureau told Agence France-Press. "It has nothing to do with the Vatican."
Monsignor Xing Wenzhi, 42, was ordained a bishop by Shanghai Bishop Aloysius Jin Luxian, 89, the representative of the government-backed Church, officials at the religious affairs bureau said.
Monsignor Xing reportedly announced during the ceremony that he had been nominated by the Holy See.