China shuts leading underground Christian church, third this winter
- More than 60 police and government officials interrupt children’s Bible class in Saturday morning raid
- Church founded by late leader of underground worship movement, Samuel Lamb Xiangao, is latest to be closed
More than 60 police officers and officials stormed a children’s Bible class in southern China on Saturday morning, in a raid on an underground church founded in 1978 by a leading light in the country’s house church movement.
According to Christian sources, the Rongguili Church in Guangzhou, widely known as the beacon of faith in southern China, was raided about 10am, making it the third prominent Protestant unregistered church to be shut down by Chinese authorities this winter.
The officials, who included representatives from the education and religious affairs departments, were said to have stayed until 8pm and confiscated church property, including more than 4,000 books.
Entry and exit points for the roads leading to the church, which is tucked in a narrow lane in Guangzhou’s Yuexiu district, have been cordoned off by police.
The church, which attracts thousands of worshippers every week, was founded by the late pastor Samuel Lamb Xiangao, one of the leading figures of China’s independent house church movement over the past four decades.
