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People visit the Baoding Catholic church in Baoding, China's northern Hebei province on April 22, 2025. In 1951, newly communist China severed ties with the Holy See, forcing Catholics to choose between membership in the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association or non-sanctioned churches loyal to the pope. But under Pope Francis, China and the Vatican signed a 2018 agreement allowing both Beijing and the Holy See a say in appointing bishops in an attempt to close the schism in China's 12-million-strong Catholic community. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP) / To go with AFP story Vatican-religion-pope-China,FOCUS by Mary Yang and Isabel Kua (Photo by ADEK BERRY/AFP via Getty Images)