China has hopes for new Pope
4/4/2005 8:02
China hoped the election of a new Pope would improve relations with the
Vatican, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said yesterday.
He said
China had extended its condolences over the death of Pope John Paul II, who died
in the Vatican early yesterday at the age of 84.
Two Chinese Catholic groups,
the Catholic Patriotic Association of China and the Chinese Catholic Bishops
College, also sent a message to the Vatican yesterday to express condolences on
behalf of more than 5 million Catholics in China.
"It is very sorrowful to
know that Pope John Paul II has passed away at the call of God, to rest in the
Lord for good," the message said.
"It is a great loss for the pastoral and
evangelical works of the Universal Church.
"We sincerely express our deep
condolence, on behalf of more than 5 million clergy and faithful of the Catholic
Church in China, and pray God grant him an eternal reward."
Liu said in a
statement issued in Beijing that China is willing to improve relations with the
Vatican on the basis of two principles.
The principles demand the Vatican
terminate "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan and promise it will not interfere
in China's internal affairs, "including any intervention under the pretext of
religious affairs."
Liu said China hopes the Vatican, under the leadership of
a new Pope, could create favorable conditions for the development of
China-Vatican relations.
He said Pope John Paul II had once apologized for
the wrongs against the Chinese people committed by some Catholic missionaries in
the colonial period, and the Pope had said the Vatican had religious ties with
Chinese Catholic believers, which should not tamper with the unity of the
Chinese nation and impair China's independence and sovereignty.
Liu said the
Pope's remarks are conducive to improvement of the relations between China and
the Vatican.
John Paul was hospitalized twice in February for flu-induced
breathing difficulties, laryngitis and other complications.
He died in his
apartment in the Vatican early yesterday after suffering heart and kidney
failure.
John Paul was born Karel Wojtyla on May 18, 1920, in Wadowice,
Poland.
He was educated at Jagiellonian University in Cracow, Poland, and at
the Angelicum in Rome.
He was ordained priest in 1946, became titular bishop
in 1958, and later served as vicar-general, vicar and archbishop of the
Archdiocese of Cracow.
He was created cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1967.
In
October 1978, he was elected Pope, the first non-Italian pope in 455
years.
In a statement yesterday, the Vatican said the Pope's body was
expected to be brought to St Peter's Basilica today.
The College of Cardinals
(the ruling body of the Catholic Church) will meet today to set a date for the
election of a new pope.
The cardinals are also expected to set a date for
John Paul's funeral, which the Vatican said is expected between Wednesday and
Friday.
Xinhua
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