Fr Joseph Chan, Hong Kong’s vicar general was present in the courtroom, but the cleric told AFP that he was not there as a representative of the diocese.
Zen plans to offer a Mass to pray for China on the night of May 24, the feast of Our Lady Help of Christians.
Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed the Marian feast as the annual World Day of Prayer for the Church in China in 2007.
Zen was arrested by the authorities in Hong Kong on May 11 and was released on bail later on the same day.
Diplomats from Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, and other European countries were in the courtroom to attend Zen’s hearing.
The cardinal’s arrest earlier this month sparked reactions around the world. A Vatican spokesman said that the Holy See “is following the development … with extreme attention.”
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