Two priests of the under-ground Catholic Church in China have been detained by authorities in Hebei Province, a source told.

The priests from Xuanhua Diocese are Father Su Guipeng and Father Zhao He.

The source said Father Zhao, who serves in the Dongcheng Catholic Church, was taken away by the personnel of the United Front Work Department of Yan-gyuan County on Oct. 24.

Seven unidentified people who went to the church said that they would take the priest to talk to local government officials, but the priest had not returned.

The source said that the priest had been placed in detention at a hotel. His mobile phone had been confiscated and he was under constant guard.

The priest was reportedly asked to study newly revised regulations on religious practice and to recognize the state-controlled Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA).

The government officials were said to have warned that the Catholic Church in China was required to be autonomous from the Vatican. This was not withstanding a provisional Vatican-Beijing agreement signed two months ago, covering sensitive issues such as the appointment of new bishops in China.