Diocese ordains bishop

The Guangzhou diocese yesterday ordained 43-year-old Joseph Gan Junqiu as the bishop to fill the vacancy caused by the death of his predecessor six years ago.

The ceremony was held at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, with about 1,000 people - mainly Catholics - in attendance.

Bishop John Fang Xingyao from Linyi diocese in Shandong Province presided over the ordination, according to Liu Bainian, vice-president of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.