For background on Orthodox Christianity in China, see here.
For previous ChristianPersecution.com coverage of the persecution of Christians in China, see here.
“Detained leaders of Church of Abundance Accused of ‘Violating National Security,'” by Tao Niu, Bitter Winter, January 9, 2023:
Yet another appeal has been circulated on January 3, 2023, by the spouses of the detained leaders of the Church of Abundance (Fengsheng) of Xi’an city, Shaanxi province.
The wives of Pastor Lian Changnian and Brother Lian Xuliang, and the husband of Sister Fu Juan report that their spouses are still detained in government-designated residences and are now accused of “endangering national security’ in addition to “religious fraud.”
As Bitter Winter had reported, the Church of Abundance was raided on August 10 and “liquidated” on August 17. The trio has remained in detention ever since.
Their spouses write that, “Since they were arrested on August 17, Lian Changnian, Lian Xuliang, and Fu Juan were placed under surveillance at a designated location on August 18 for alleged fraud. They have been living here for 141 days. Later, the public security organs informed us by phone or verbally that the prisoners were involved in endangering national security, and the lawyers were restricted from seeing them for this reason. The family members do not know any news about the three of them, so they are very anxious! Very worried! But we still believe that the Lord will help them!”
Devotees have also claimed that “some brothers were harassed and beaten” and “some of the sisters were verbally abused and intimidated.”
