Originally published at National Catholic Register
According to AsiaNews, which reported the Chinese cleric’s passing, Father Guo spent a total of 25 years in prison during his lifetime.
China’s oldest priest has passed away, leaving behind a legacy of brave adherence to the faith of the Catholic Church in the face of persecution.
Father Joseph Guo Fude died on Dec. 30, 2024, two months from what would have been his 105th birthday. He was one of the few remaining Catholic priests in China who had been ordained prior to the establishment of the People’s Republic of China.
On December 30th last week, China’s oldest priest, Verbite Father Guo Fude passed away. At the venerable age of 104, he was one of the few remaining priests vested prior to the establishment of Communist rule. pic.twitter.com/7QoBwjBMBR
— Catholicism in East Asia (@TheChurchInAsia) January 5, 2025
“Father Guo is a symbol of the courageous faith and extraordinary suffering of China’s Catholics,” Benedict Rogers, human rights activist and author of “The China Nexus: Thirty Years in and Around the Chinese Communist Party’s Tyranny,” told CNA.
Rogers noted that although the priest had “spent a quarter of a century in prison,” he continued serving and ministering to his people through
