Cardinal Sepe meets top China religious official

Archbishop of Naples Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe met with Director Wang Zuo’an of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) on Oct. 26 in his first trip to mainland China. In his role as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples from 2001 to 2006, the cardinal only visited the Churches in Hong Kong and Taiwan. His delegation included leaders of the international lay organization, the Community of Sant’Edigio, which serves the poor and promotes ecumenism. It has been active in providing a bridge between China and the Vatican in recent years.

Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Archbishop of Naples

On Oct. 26, the five-member delegation also joined a seminar organized by the Development Research Center of the State Council, sharing views on religions’ contribution to social harmony with seven Chinese scholars. The 67-year-old cardinal met with Wang at the SARA office. According to a news brief on the SARA website, the men “discussed strengthening Sino-Italian religious exchanges and other issues.”

Wang Zuo’an, Director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA)

The delegation also visited the tomb of Jesuit Father Matteo Ricci (1552-1610) and met Bishop Joseph Li Shan of Beijing. Cardinal Sepe and the Bishop discussed Father Ricci’s contribution to the friendship and cultural exchanges between China and Italy before they ended their meeting by praying the Lord’s Prayer in Latin together at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.