Joseph Zen


Joseph Zen Ze-kiun

Cardinal,
Bishop Emeritus of Hong Kong
Cardinal Zen in 2019
ChurchCatholic Church
SeeHong Kong
Installed23 September 2002
Term ended15 April 2009
PredecessorJohn Baptist Wu
SuccessorJohn Tong
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria Madre del Redentore a Tor Bella Monaca (2006–present)
Previous post(s)Coadjutor Bishop of Hong Kong (1996–2002)
Orders
Ordination11 February 1961
by Maurilio Fossati
Consecration9 December 1996
by John Baptist Wu
Created cardinal24 March 2006
by Pope Benedict XVI
Personal details
Born (1932-01-13) 13 January 1932
NationalityChinese
DenominationRoman Catholicism
EducationSalesian Pontifical University
MottoIpsi Cura Est
(English: "He cares")
Coat of arms
Styles of
Joseph Zen
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeHong Kong (Emeritus)
Joseph Zen
Traditional Chinese陳日君
Simplified Chinese陈日君
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinChén Rìjūn
Wade–GilesCh'en2 Jih4chün1
Yale RomanizationChén R̀jyūn
IPA[ʈʂʰə̌n ɻɻ̩̂tɕýn]
Hakka
RomanizationCin2 Ngit5 Giun1
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationChàhn Yahtgwān
Jyutpingcan4 jat6 gwan1
IPA[tsʰɐ̏n jɐ̀tkʷɐ́n]
Ordination history of
Joseph Zen
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byMaurilio Fossati (Turin)
Date11 February 1961
PlaceTurin, Italy
Episcopal consecration
Principal consecratorJohn Baptist Wu (Hong Kong)
Co-consecratorsPeter Shirayanagi (Tokyo)
Charles Asa Schleck (Adj. Sec. Sacr. Cong. Prop. Fide)
Date9 December 1996
PlaceCathedral of the Immaculate Conception, British Hong Kong
Cardinalate
Elevated byPope Benedict XVI
Date24 March 2006
Episcopal succession
Bishops consecrated by Joseph Zen as principal consecrator
Luciano Capelli21 October 2007

Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, SDB (Wu Chinese pronunciation: [zəɲ zəʔ tɕyəɲ], born 13 January 1932) is a Chinese Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2009. He was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 and has been outspoken on issues regarding human rights, political freedom, and religious liberty. He is a member of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Zen's strong ties with Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp often attract criticism from the pro-Beijing camp and the government of China. Zen retired on 15 April 2009, but remains a strong pro-democracy influence in Hong Kong. On 11 May 2022, he was arrested by the National Security Police and later that day released on bail.