Field tracker · China · East Asia
Ma Xianshi
Ma Xianshi ahamm Thu, 06/11/2026 - 20:54 Victim Name Ma Xianshi Status Not Released Perpetrator China Sex Male Religion or Belief Christian – Catholic Image Date of Detainment Month November Date of Detainment Year 2024 Date of Detainment NA 0 Date of Charge NA 0 Date of Conviction NA 0 Date of Sentencing NA 0 Private 0 Bio Information Ma Xianshi is detained for his religious activity. In November 2024, authorities arrested Ma, a Catholic priest of the Diocese of Wenzhou. Authorities accused him of “illegal business activity” after he and another Catholic sold copies of an officially approved hymn book. Authorities held him incommunicado. Section FoRB Victims Database Header Image Show Header Image Off Feature Image Type of Abuse Detainment Additional Name(s) 麻显士 Died in Custody No
Record details
- Location
- China · East Asia
- Event type
- Arrest
- Coordinates
- 31.230, 121.474
- Accountable source
- USCIRF ↗
Related records
After police raid, three Chinese house church members face criminal charges
(Yueyang, Hunan Province — August 3, 2026) Police raided a gathering of a house church in Hunan Province, in south-central China, on the night of July 11, detaining the church’s founder and two members who now face criminal charges after authorities escalated the case beyond administrative detention. Several members of Panshi Bible Church in Yueyang, […] The post After police raid, three Chinese house church members face criminal charges appeared first on ChinaAid.
China · AUG 03, 2026highASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Official hymn for Seoul WYD 2027 unveiled: "Take courage; I have overcome the world"
Seoul – Martyrs and places of martyrdom take center stage in the videos released today to introduce the official hymn for the next World Youth Day , scheduled to take place in Seoul from August 3 to 8, 2027. The hymn bears the Latin title: "Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum" . Presented in two musical arrangements, the hymn is performed in six languages, with a chorus sung in Latin. The lyrics "You are the light of the world; light one another's path," are followed by the repeated response, "Thy will be done," sung in the different languages. The first version, performed by a symphony orchestra, blends traditional Korean melodies featuring the Gayageum instruments , Haegeum , Sogeum . The second adopts a contemporary K-pop-inspired style, incorporating elements of pungmul music with the taepyeongso alongside traditional percussion instruments including the janggu , the buk , the jing , and the kkwaenggwari . Accompanied by WYD volunteers, the music video follows the path of Korea's Catholic martyrs through some of the country's most significant places of witness: the Seosomun Martyrs' Shrine, the Saenamteo Shrine, and the site of the torture of St. Andrew Kim Taegon , the first Korean priest and martyr, who is one of the patron saints of Seoul WYD 2027. The video also features Gahoe-dong Church, where the first Mass was celebrated in 1795 , and Yakhyeon Church, the first Western-style Catholic church in the capital. It also showcases panoramic views of Gwanghwamun, Bukchon Hanok Village, with its traditional Korean houses along the Han River. The "long march" of World Youth Day During the Holy Year of the Redemption in 1984, Pope John Paul II invited young people to Rome for "their" Jubilee. Then in 1985, during what the UN had proclaimed "International Youth Year," hundreds of thousands of young people again gathered around the Pope on Palm Sunday . These two events gave rise to World Youth Day, which thereafter was celebrated annually at the diocesan level, usually on Palm Sunday. The international editions have generally been held every two or three years: Rome , Buenos Aires , Santiago de Compostela , Częstochowa , Denver , Manila , which drew a record five million participants, Paris , Rome , Toronto , Cologne , Sydney , Madrid , Rio de Janeiro , Kraków , Panama , and Lisbon . These were followed by the great Jubilee of Youth gathering held in Rome in 2025. World Youth Day returns to Asia The choice of a host country for World Youth Day is the result of consultations involving Vatican dicasteries, the interested episcopal Conferences, and the bishops of the candidate diocese. Addressing young people in Manila on January 15, 1995, during what remains the only previous World Youth Day held in Asia, John Paul II declared: "In the first millennium the Cross was planted in Europe; in the second, in America and Africa; we can pray that in the third Christian millennium there will be a great harvest of faith in Asia." On that same occasion, through Radio Veritas, the Pope also sent a message of reconciliation to Chinese Catholics. A group of young Chinese Catholics took part in the Manila gathering alongside their peers from around the world. The context surrounding the upcoming Asian World Youth Day differs significantly from that of Manila in 1995. South Korea does not face the widespread urban poverty or mass emigration that characterized many parts of Asia at the time. At the same time, Catholics remain a minority within Korean society. "And now, dear young people of Korea, it is your turn! By carrying the Cross to Asia, you will proclaim Christ's love to everyone. Be courageous!" Pope Francis told Korean youth during the traditional handover of the World Youth Day Cross and the copy of the icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani . The Hymns of World Youth Day Traditionally inspired by each World Youth Day's biblical theme, the official hymns are translated into several languages and intended to be sung by young people across linguistic and cultural boundaries. Throughout the history of World Youth Day, several have achieved widespread popularity. "The path of truth" was the central theme of "Somos los jóvenes del 2000," the hymn composed for Santiago de Compostela 1989, inspired by the pilgrimage tradition and the figure of St. James. It was followed by "Tell the World of His Love," written for Manila 1995, then "Master and Lord, You have come among us" for Paris 1997. Perhaps the most widely known World Youth Day hymn is "Jesus Christ, you are my life," composed by Maestro Marco Frisina for the Jubilee Year 2000 World Youth Day.
China · AUG 03, 2026mediumDetained Beijing Zion Church pastor alleges authorities pressured him to confess using his children
A detained pastor from Beijing Zion Church has accused Chinese authorities of pressuring him to confess by invoking his young children during legal proceedings in a case against the prominent house church. Pastor Liu Zhenbin made the allegation in a letter sent from detention, according to information provided by sources familiar with the case. Liu […] The post Detained Beijing Zion Church pastor alleges authorities pressured him to confess using his children appeared first on ChinaAid.
China · JUL 30, 2026mediumAfter church demolition, more than 20 Chinese Christians remain jailed in Zhejiang crackdown
(Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China – July 28, 2026) More than 20 members and leaders of Yayang Christian Church in eastern China remain behind bars months after authorities demolished one of the region’s best-known Protestant churches, according to sources confirmed by ChinaAid. The detained believers, including two church leaders, remain in custody following a sweeping crackdown […] The post After church demolition, more than 20 Chinese Christians remain jailed in Zhejiang crackdown appeared first on ChinaAid.
China · JUL 29, 2026