Fox News is reporting that the Chinese Communist Party arrested more than a dozen Christian pastors in recent days as part of a crackdown on Christianity.

Chinese authorities formally arrested 18 leaders of a major underground church, clearing the way for their prosecution and potential prison sentences of up to three years.

According to Reuters, which reported the arrests Wednesday citing a Christian NGO advocate, nearly 30 pastors and staff members belonging to Zion Church were detained by police in mid-October in the biggest crackdown on Chinese Christians in seven years.

ChinaAid, a Christian nonprofit human rights organization, said in a statement that the leaders were arrested on “politically motivated charges.”

“These pastors and co-workers are being treated as criminals simply because they faithfully shepherded a large, legally unregistered church that refused to submit to CCP control and surveillance,” the statement read in part.

Say a prayer for these brave Christian souls. It breaks my heart that the Vatican cut a deal with the CCP, which allows the party a significant role in the appointment of Catholic bishops.

Don’t make deals with the devil.

There are many faithful Catholics who are persecuted by the party. They must feel betrayed by the Church. Pray for them.

A bishop from the Diocese of Mindong in Fujian, China, presided over the anniversary Mass of his ordination to the priesthood while under isolation.

AsiaNews reported that auxiliary bishop VINCENT GUO XIJIN celebrated the anniversary of his ordination while under residential isolation. A video from the news agency shows the bishop meeting with the faithful and distributing communion through the bars of a chained gate during the shutdown of the chapel at his residence.

This was the only way for him to administer Holy Communion.

Pray.