(Milan — November 14, 2025) In Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, a case concerning the sale of Catholic publications was heard on Thursday, drawing close attention from local Catholics. Father Ma Xianshi, the leader of the Wenzhou Diocese’s public community, appeared in court for the first time after being held in detention for nearly a year, along with a layperson, the shop owner. He denied the prosecutor’s accusations, stating that he was merely fulfilling his priestly duties and managing church affairs.

The hearing began at 9:30 a.m. in the Yiwu People’s Court and continued until 2:30 p.m. The court did not issue a verdict and said it would announce the result at a later date.

Accusations Over Hymnbook Sales

At the center of the case is a church hymnbook titled Tianlu Miaoyin (Heavenly Melodies). The book was approved for printing by Zhejiang’s religious department, and it is used in many parishes such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Fujian. However, prosecutors alleged that the hymnbook was sold to the general public at the “Angela Catholic Gifts” in Yiwu’s small commodities market, violating China’s extremely strict regulation limiting religious publications to internal circulation only, and thus constitutes “illegal business operations.”

According to the prosecution, more than 50,000 copies of the hymnbook were sold, with revenue of roughly 1.5 million yuan, and the proceeds were deposited into a personal bank account opened under Father Ma’s name. The sentence will depend on whether the act is deemed an individual crime or a crime committed by a unit.

Defense Arguments and Court Statements

Defense lawyers argued that, given the historical context of the Wenzhou Diocese, it has long been common for Catholic parish accounts to be opened under the local priest’s name. They presented bank statements and Father Ma’s will, showing that all funds were to be used for the church, with no evidence of personal gain. They contended that even if the sales method had procedural flaws, the publication had an approved registration number and caused no social harm, and recommended for him to be exempted from sentencing.

In court, Father Ma stated that his actions were part of church administration and denied any personal wrongdoing. Co-defendant and layperson Zhuang Qiantuan pled guilty in court and asked for leniency.

Restricted Attendance and Livestream Session

This hearing had originally been scheduled for July 1, and more than 300 parishioners had signed up to attend, but it was canceled last minute the night before. Ahead of the rescheduled session, multiple priests, nuns, and parishioners reportedly were dissuaded by local religious affairs authorities from observing, and one priest was only allowed to enter under close monitoring by officials.

Because seating in the main courtroom was limited and many local religious affairs officials occupied seats to observe, the Yiwu court opened a neighboring courtroom to livestream the proceedings so more parishioners could watch.

Parishioner Support and Community Reactions

Several observers reported that Father Ma appeared to be in good spirits. He made the sign of the cross upon entering the courtroom and gave blessings to parishioners before leaving, gestures that supporters found deeply comforting. He and another defendant have been detained for a year in the detention center and are said to have been appointed cell leaders for helping other inmates.

Among elderly parishioners unable to attend, many described Father Ma as “deeply loved and esteemed” and noted that he had overseen pastoral duties for the official community after the death of former Bishop Zhu Weifang. Some believe the case symbolizes the government’s loss of trust in him.

Others noted that the charge of “illegally selling religious publications” is relatively minor. They said they had previously heard of more serious accusations, including being subjected to the government’s suspicion over a “two-hour gap” (untracked movement) in the schedule during a pilgrimage to Rome or friction caused by the church’s reluctance to support a bishop candidate favored by the government.

Internal Church Tensions and Wider Context

The case has also stirred internal tensions within the church. Some parishioners criticized certain bishops for “echoing the government’s stance before the court has rendered a verdict” and for not attending the hearing to show support. Others commented that the coexistence of official and unofficial (underground) churches has widened resource disparities among parishes in Wenzhou and deepened the divisions.

A Wenzhounese Catholic living in Shanghai observed that in China’s large dioceses, “a priest beloved by the faithful is not necessarily liked by the government,” and remarked that local religious policy increasingly emphasizes having religious representatives who are “politically reliable.”

Reported by ChinaAid Association based on a report from AsiaNews