After being detained last year under the national security code, a 90-year-old cardinal from Hong Kong will be permitted by the authorities to attend the funeral of the former pope Benedict XVI, a source said AFP.
One of the highest-ranking Catholics in Asia, Cardinal Joseph Zen had his passport seized after his arrest on suspicion of supporting pro-democracy demonstrators. On Tuesday, the funeral for Benedict will be held, with Pope Francis serving as the main celebrant.
In 2006, Benedict elevated Zen to the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church.
In a hearing on Tuesday, Magistrate Peter Law made a decision that Zen might leave Hong Kong for five days and that his passport would be given back in the interim, according to the AFP. Zen has been facing a number of legal threats with the China-backed authorities pushing for stricter restrictions.
In the aftermath of Benedict’s death, Zen wrote an article after the former pope where he described him as ‘great defender of truth’ and lauded his contributions to the Chinese church.
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