The announcement comes months after the Vatican accused China of violating their agreement on the appointment of bishops.
The Vatican has said Chinese authorities have appointed a new bishop for Shanghai, the largest Roman Catholic diocese in China, in apparent violation of a bilateral pact between the two states.
The Holy See was informed “a few days ago” of China’s decision to transfer Bishop Shen Bin from Haimen, Jiangsu province, to the diocese of Shanghai, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
It added that it had learned of its official installation from the media earlier in the day.
“For now, I have nothing to say about the Holy See’s assessment of the case,” spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
The announcement came just four months after the Vatican accused China of violating its bilateral agreement on the appointment of bishops by installing one in a diocese not recognized by the Holy See.
The disputed, secret pact was renewed last October for the second time since 2018.
The deal was an attempt to lessen a long-standing rift in mainland China between an underground herd loyal to the pope and a state-backed official church.
For the first time since the 1950s, both parties recognized the Pope as Supreme Leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
There was no immediate response from the Chinese embassy in Rome to the Vatican’s statement on Tuesday.
Not recognized by the Vatican
According to AsiaNews, a Catholic news agency, Shen was appointed by the Council of Chinese Bishops, which he himself heads.
It is not recognized by the Vatican and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party.
On its website, the Diocese of Shanghai said about 200 people attended Shen’s inauguration ceremony.
“Bishop Shen Bin said he will continue the fine tradition of patriotism and love for the Catholic Church in Shanghai. [and] adhere to the principle of independence and self-government,” the statement said.
The Diocese of Shanghai has been vacant for ten years since the death of the late Bishop Jin Luxian in April 2013.
The Holy See has said that the city’s auxiliary bishop Ma Daqin should run the diocese, but he has been under house arrest since 2012 when he publicly denounced the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association – the communist body that governed the local church.
Only six new bishops have been appointed since the 2018 deal between the Vatican and China. The detractors have said that this proves that it does not produce the desired effects. They have also pointed to growing restrictions on religious freedom in China for Christians and other minorities.