(SE): Father Ignatius Ding Zuyao was ordained as Bishop of Haimen, Jiangsu Province, China, on October 15, following his appointment by Pope Leo XIV on August 24. The appointment was made within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, Vatican News reported.
According to UCAN, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin of Shanghai, the former bishop of Haimen, was the principal consecrator at the ordination, which was attended by around 400 priests, religious and laypeople.
Bishop Ding was born in August 1986 in Qidong, Jiangsu Province. From 2001 to 2004, he studied at the Jiangsu section of Sheshan Seminary in Shanghai. He then pursued studies in philosophy and theology at Beijing Theological Seminary from 2004 to 2011, earning a bachelor’s degree.
He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Haimen on 27 October 2011.
From 2012 to 2013, Bishop Ding served as parish priest in Haimenzhen, before moving to Linjiang where he continued in the same role from 2013 to 2017.
Between 2017 and 2023, he was parish priest of Caojiazhen Parish.
In February 2023, he was appointed parish priest of Qingnian Donglu Parish in Nantong, a post he held until his episcopal appointment.
