Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, a former Apostolic Nuncio, or Vatican diplomat, to the U.S., accused China’s communist government of violating a “secret” agreement with the Holy See arranged during Pope Francis’ tenure by appointing two bishops following Francis’ death on April 21.

In an editorial published Monday by LifeSite, Viganò wrote that millions of persecuted Chinese Catholics are being betrayed by “corrupt clergymen” backing Beijing’s communist regime, compromising the Catholic faith and independence of the Church.

Although Beijing authorized Cardinal Joseph Zen to travel to Rome for Francis’ funeral and the pre-conclave, the Chinese Communist Party violated the agreement by appointing two bishops without consulting the Vatican, Viganò wrote. On April 28, the Rev. Wu Jianlin, vicar general of Shanghai, was named the city’s auxiliary bishop by an assembly of local priests, according to The Catholic World Report. The next day, the Rev. Li Jianlin was elected bishop of the Diocese of Xinxiang.

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