The Vatican has threatened a bishop with excommunication after he was ordained by China's state-backed Catholic Church without papal approval.
Pope Benedict XVI had learned of the ordination of Rev Joseph Guo Jincai "with deep regret" as it constituted a "grave violation" of Church law, it said.
The Vatican also accused Beijing of "grave violations of freedom of religion and conscience" because it forced Vatican-approved bishops to attend the ceremony.
China's estimated 10 million Catholics are split between followers of the Pope and members of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.
The association is not in communion with Rome and refuses to accept the sole authority of the Pope to appoint new bishops.
Rev Guo, who was ordained in the north-eastern city of Chengde amid high security, is the organisation's deputy leader.
Read more at The BBC
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