
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is reportedly replacing crosses on church buildings with images of President Xi Jinping, according to a study by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. This is part of the CCP’s “Sinicization” campaign, which aims to align religious practices with state ideology and bring them under government control.
In addition to changing church symbols, the CCP is reportedly editing religious texts and requiring clergy to preach messages that support Communist Party ideology. Catholic churches are under particular pressure, as they must register with state-controlled organizations like the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China, which operates under the CCP’s management.
The report highlights the severe consequences for those who defy state regulations. Underground Catholics, in particular, are often persecuted under China’s anti-cult laws. Reports indicate that defying the CCP can result in imprisonment and detention without trial.
The study also revisits the 2018 agreement between the Vatican and China, in which both sides agreed to collaborate on selecting bishops. Despite this, the CCP has bypassed the Vatican in many cases and has detained bishops it views as threats to the state, including Cardinal Joseph Zen from Hong Kong, who was convicted in 2022 for his role in aiding pro-democracy protesters.
Christian communities are also under pressure in Western nations. Churches in France and Canada have been targeted for vandalism and arson, and Christianity has been openly mocked by organizations like the Olympics, reflecting growing concerns about religious freedom worldwide.