Underground church

The term underground church (Chinese: 地下教会; pinyin: dìxià jiàohuì) is used to refer to Chinese Catholic churches in the People's Republic of China which have chosen not to associate with the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association, they are also called loyal church (Chinese: 忠贞教会; pinyin: zhōngzhēn jiàohuì). Underground churches came into existence in the 1950s, after the communist party's establishment of the People's Republic of China, due to the severing of ties between Chinese Catholics and the Holy See.^[1]

There continues to be tensions between underground churches and "open churches" which have joined the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association (Chinese: 中国天主教爱国会; pinyin: Zhōngguó Tiānzhǔjiào Àiguó Huì).^[2]

^ Bays, Daniel (2012). A New History of Christianity in China. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 192–193.
^ Rocca, Francis X. (November 18, 2013). "Do not abandon Catholics in China, Cardinal tells Church". www.catholicherald.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-04-21.

[bays-1] Bays, Daniel (2012). A New History of Christianity in China. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 192–193.

[2] Rocca, Francis X. (November 18, 2013). "Do not abandon Catholics in China, Cardinal tells Church". www.catholicherald.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-04-21.

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