The Chinese Catholic Church ordained Zhang Yinlin, a priest in Anyang, central China's Henan Province as assistant bishop on Aug. 4, in the Chinese Catholicism authority's first consecration since 2012. Vatican Radio reported that the promotion was accepted by Pope Francis.

The Reverend Joseph Zhang Yilin is ordained a Catholic bishop of Anyang, Henan province, during a ceremony attended by more than 1,500 people, including 75 priests and 120 nuns on Aug 4, 2015. [Photo by Li Jianlin/ For China Daily]

The consecration was held at the local Erdaojie Catholic Church. The parish's Bishop Zhang Huaixin presided over the ceremony, while another 1,500 people, including three bishops, 75 priests and 120 nuns, attended the event. Representatives from Chinese governmental agencies that oversee religious affairs also took part in the ceremony.

Zhang took an oath at the consecration, saying he would fulfill his duty as an assistant bishop to lead the parish, preserve national unity and social stability, and contribute his efforts to the country's prosperity.

Information on ChinaCatholic.cn, the official website for the Catholic Church in China, shows that Zhang was born on March 27, 1971 into a Catholic family in Linzhou, Henan Province. He was baptized when he was young and since then he has also gone by his religious name of Ruose (Joseph).

Vatican Radio said the consecration, already approved by the Pope, was originally planned on July 29, but was purposefully postponed to Aug. 4, the date of commemoration for Saint Jean-Marie Vianney (1786-1859), a French parish priest who was beatified as a saint in 1905.

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