China consecrates bishop, no blessing from Pope

XUZHOU, China, Nov 30 (Reuters) A 36-year-old Chinese priest was consecrated as an auxiliary bishop today without the Pope's blessing, threatening to strain ties with the Vatican.

Wearing a white mitre, matching robes and clutching a golden staff, Wang Renlei was mobbed by well-wishers and showered with confetti as he emerged from the two-hour consecration in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, in China's booming east coast.

Beijing and the Vatican severed ties after the 1949 Communist takeover in China and a subsequent crackdown on religion and the dispute over who has a say in the appointment of bishops has impeded detente.

The Vatican has yet to comment on the consecration.

Security was tight in and around the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church with police checking passes issued to attendees and standing by to maintain order.

But hundreds of people braved the cold at dawn and packed the church. Television screens were set up on the steps of the church for those unable to get in.

Officially atheist China has traditionally refused to allow the Vatican to appoint bishops or let Catholics recognise the authority of the Pope, saying it would be interference in its internal affairs.

But in recent years, Beijing and the Holy See -- warily exploring the normalisation of ties -- have come to an understanding that usually allows prospective bishops to seek Vatican approval before taking up posts in the church.

There are some 10 million Catholics in China, divided between an ''underground'' church loyal to the Holy See and the state-approved church that respects the Pope as a spiritual figurehead but rejects effective papal control.

Liu Bainian, a vice-chairman of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, told Reuters this week that Wang's consecration would not hurt China-Vatican relations.

He defended China's unilateral decision to appoint Wang, saying Beijing can't wait for the normalisation of relations to consecrate bishops.

China has 97 dioceses, 42 of which do not have bishops. Up to eight dioceses have bishops who are very old or in poor health.

China appointed two bishops this year without papal blessing, souring relations.

Wang, ordained only in 1996, is expected to eventually replace Qian Yurong, 94, who is in poor health, as bishop of Xuzhou.

Wang, who majored in philosophy and theology, was elected by a group of fellow priests, nuns and Catholic representatives in Xuzhou on October 21, garnering 100 per cent of the vote, Liu said, adding that the provincial religious affairs bureau has endorsed his election.

Xuzhou officials, reached by telephone, declined to comment.

REUTERS AKJ KP1050