As Father Thomas Pathickal elevated the consecrated Host at the altar, a mysterious image began to emerge. Photo: Catolín

Chinese Communist government takes advantage of Pope’s death to unilaterally impose new bishops

These appointments, proceeding so soon after the pope’s death, present an immediate and delicate test for the next pontiff. Will he continue Francis’s policy of cautious engagement with China, or draw a firmer line in defense of the Church’s independence? That decision could define the next chapter in Vatican-China relations.