Top 8 Well-Known Vietnamese Martyrs

Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc, celebrated on November 24th, epitomizes the suffering and persecution endured by hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese Catholics over the past three centuries. Many Catholics continued to face oppression while practicing their faith in Vietnam during that time. He was a diocesan priest, born Trần An Dũng in 1795 in northern Vietnam.

At the age of 12, he and his family moved to Hanoi in search of employment. A catechist there provided the family with food, shelter, and education for Andrew. He became a catechist, choosing the name Andrew. Later, he became a teacher of the faith and eventually was selected for the priesthood. Andrew became a priest in 1823, known as an effective preacher and a model of holiness for those he served. When King Minh Mạng began persecuting Catholic believers, Andrew was imprisoned multiple times but was released when the faithful contributed money to secure his freedom.

After release, he adopted the surname Lạc and moved to other areas to continue teaching. However, he was arrested again in 1839, along with another priest, Peter Thi - whom he had come to reconcile. Both were brought back to Hanoi, where they were tortured and executed on December 21, 1839.

Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc and Saint Peter Thi were beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1900, and it was not until 1988 that they and 115 other Vietnamese martyrs were canonized by Pope John Paul II.

Saint Dominic Phạm Trọng Khảm, born in 1780 in Quần Cống village, Trà Lũ commune, Xuân Trường district, now part of Bùi Chu diocese. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Phạm Tri Khiêm - a wealthy family in the area. Deeply imbued with the values of Catholicism and the upbringing of his parents. At the age of 18, he married Mrs. Agnes Phượng, also a follower of Christianity. They lived exemplary lives, morally upright, in a warm, harmonious, loving family.

His eldest son, Phạm Trọng Thìn, was highly respected, later bravely witnessed for Christ and shared the martyrdom with his father, Saint Dominic Phạm Trọng Khảm. His daughters, Nhiêu Côn, Nhiêu Trữ, and Hậu Địch, were also raised with virtuous qualities, renowned for their kindness, wisdom, and righteousness.

As a devout Catholic, he always held firm to his faith. Educated to become a magistrate, Saint Dominic Khảm always stood up to defend those he believed were wrongly accused, hence becoming renowned throughout the region as a kind judge. During the difficult times of religious prohibition, he often welcomed bishops, priests, and missionaries to stay in his home, while discreetly assisting them in their ministry. Upon retiring at the age of 79, Saint Dominic Khảm was arrested by the authorities along with hundreds of other Catholics. Due to his age and respected position, he was not subjected to physical abuse like others, nor did he suffer hunger or thirst, or wear heavy shackles. However, he never wavered in his faith, providing spiritual support to fellow prisoners.

After four months of unsuccessful persuasion, they decided to carry out the death sentence. On January 13, 1859, Saint Dominic Khảm was brought to the court. Due to his advanced age and prolonged imprisonment, his health had deteriorated. Before entering the court, he was absolved and blessed by Father Lương and Father Duyệt, fellow prisoners. Then, he was spared from execution but had to endure strangulation.

After a long period of suffering, Saint Dominic Khảm passed away amidst the cries of those around him. The soldiers burned his hands and face, as a final act of humiliation, to prevent his reincarnation. Fellow Catholics moved his remains and returned them to the Sorrowful Mother Church for burial.

Pope Pius XII beatified him on April 29, 1851, and Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1988.

Saint Agnes Lê Thị Thành (also known as Mrs. Đê) was born in Northern Vietnam in 1781, married at the age of 17, and raised 6 children. During the reign when the government relentlessly pursued Christians, for many years she helped conceal numerous local Catholic priests, who had to hide even while administering sacraments to the faithful. She provided them with safe havens, sometimes hiding them in her own home, and aided their movements under disguises.

At the age of 60, Saint Agnes was arrested and forced to renounce her Catholic faith, which she steadfastly refused. The authorities ordered beatings, humiliation, and imprisonment. When her husband visited her in jail, he was horrified to see her covered in bruises and blood from being beaten with sticks on her legs.

Saint Agnes said: 'Through the graces of Our Lady, I can endure this pain.' Subsequently, the prison guards tied her legs and put venomous snakes in her pants. She was terrified, but she prayed for courage to maintain her resolve. When Saint Agnes' daughter was allowed to visit her mother in prison, the girl began to weep bitterly at the sight of her mother's dark bruises. She comforted her daughter, saying: “My daughter, these are the red roses of courage.”

Eventually, exhausted, she passed away in prison on July 12, 1841. Pope Leo X beatified her on May 2, 1909, and Pope John Paul II canonized her on June 19, 1988, along with 115 other Vietnamese martyrs.

Saint Angnes Lê Thị Thành is a role model for Vietnamese Catholic mothers, who have used prayers and advice to guide their children. Two churches have named her as their patron saint in Florida and New Orleans.

Saint Paul Tống Viết Bường (1782-1833) hailed from Phủ Cam, serving in the royal bodyguard of King Minh Mạng. As a devout Christian, he supported diplomatic missions to Paris, thus advancing the cause of Catholicism domestically.

From a young age, Saint Paul Tống Viết Bường was known for his sharp intellect. While organizing and defending several villages against invaders, his courageous actions caught the attention of the Emperor. King Minh Mạng recruited him into his personal bodyguard, later appointing him as an official of the royal bodyguard.

As someone close to the Emperor, he was often asked if he visited local temples. Initially, Paul Bường tactfully evaded the questions by stating that without the Emperor's orders, he wouldn't visit temples. After repeated pressure, he admitted that his Christian faith forbade him from visiting temples or worshipping other deities. King Minh Mạng, furious, ordered his arrest and confinement. Later, he ordered him to serve in a different royal guard unit.

His family paid bribes to guards to secure Paul Buong's release. Back in his hometown, he was re-arrested a year later during an inspection of the royal guard forces by the Emperor. This time, he was brutally tortured, yet he remained unafraid and even welcomed the suffering. Eventually, King Minh Mạng ordered Paul Bường's execution and displayed his body in a tavern in the Thọ Đức parish as a warning to Catholics defying royal decrees. Pope Leo XIII beatified him on May 27, 1900. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1988 alongside other Vietnamese martyrs.

Saint Matthew Le Van Gam was born in 1813 under the reign of King Gia Long, hailing from Long Dai village, Go Cong region, Bien Hoa province. He was the eldest son in a family of 5 sons and 1 daughter. He inherited a deep scholarly tradition from his father, Mr. Paul Le Van Lai, and mother, Mrs. Maria Nguyen Thi Nhiem.

At the age of 15, Mathew Gam was allowed by his parents to enter the seminary at Lai Thieu to study for the priesthood. However, just one month later, his parents came to take him home to work and help the family. At the age of 20, he married, had 4 children, and a happy, loving family life. During his frequent business trips, Matthew Gam fell in love with another woman, but after much turmoil, he decided to end the relationship. To redeem his mistake, he devoted deeper love to his wife and spent more time educating his children, especially teaching them Christian values. Among his children, the eldest and youngest sons died of illness, the second son was killed while trying to prevent the burning of Cau Nang church, and the third son was imprisoned for his faith, being burned alive with many others in Ba Ria on July 1, 1862.

The sacrifice for the faith of his two sons was the result of the Christian teachings that Matthew Gam passed on. With successful business development, he generously supported priests and gained the trust of missionaries. Occasionally, he went to Singapore or Penang-Malaysia to welcome Vietnamese missionaries or seminarians or to deliver Holy Scriptures and religious artifacts. After many successful trips, the incident was finally exposed, and local authorities began to closely monitor him. In 1846, Matthew Gam agreed to take Bishop Dominic Lefebvre Nghia, Father Duelos Lo, and 3 seminarians to Saigon. The return trip on May 23 took longer than usual due to a storm, and it took them 4 days to escape the pirates. It wasn't until June 6 that they reached Can Gio port.

Knowing that he was being monitored by the authorities, Matthew Gam waited in vain for 2 days before deciding to sail deeper into Saigon. Passing through a guard post, he encountered a patrol boat and bribed 10 crew members to avoid capture. However, 5 sailors on this ship were afraid of being caught receiving bribes, so they chased and intercepted his boat. Matthew Gam urged passengers to protest against the arrest, but Bishop Lefebvre Nghia disagreed with that reason, going against the spirit of Christian charity. On the morning of August 6, 1846, he was arrested. A few days later, officials summoned him to court for questioning, urging him to step over the cross. But he bravely endured the torture. Before the court, he gave his name as Le Van Buu, while the verdict was recorded as Le Van Boi. Twenty days later, officials petitioned the capital to find a way to execute him, and the king postponed the decision until the following year. During the wait, Matthew Gam suffered from a heavy fever with swollen legs, but he always carried a cheerful, serene spirit. After 7 months in prison, his death sentence was approved by King Thieu Tri, but due to the approaching Tet, the king postponed the execution.

After Tet, some officials in Gia Dinh sympathized with the gentle businessman and petitioned the king to reduce the death sentence to life imprisonment, with the reason that not even a bishop was executed. When the royal army was defeated by the French in Danang in March 1847, the king decided to resist their demands.

On November 5, 1849, Saint Matthew Le Van Gam was taken to the execution site at Da Com (now the parish of Cho Dui, then part of the parish of Cho Quan) with the presence of many Christians and non-Christians. After the gong sounded, moved by the suffering of those who came to witness, the executioner trembled and had to strike three times to carry out the execution.

In 1870, Mrs. Nhiem, his mother, testified before the court that she and her husband did not feel sorrowful when they heard of their son's death. We were happy that our son's departure would make him a Saint.

On May 27, 1900, Pope Leo XIII elevated him to the rank of blessed.

Saint Vicent Le Quang Liem was born in 1732 in Thon Dong, Tra Lu village, Phu Nhai district, Nam Dinh province. His parents were Mr. Anthony and Mrs. Monica Thieu Dao. Perhaps due to being born weak, his mother baptized him and named him Saint Vincent.

In 1744, at the age of 12, Vincent Liem joined the seminary at Luc Thuy. Recognizing his intelligence and moral character, Father Espinosa Huy sent him to study at St. John Lateran in Manila, Philippines. He joined the Dominican Order on September 9, 1753. A year later, he chose the name Vincent Liem de la Paz, meaning 'Vincent Liem of peace.' He continued theological studies at the University of Santo Tomas for the next 4 years and was ordained a priest in 1758. On October 3 of the same year, he boarded a ship to return home to begin his ministry.

Saint Vicent Le Quang Liem served his people for 14 years as a seminary professor and priest. His first mission was teaching at Trung Linh seminary. He then served in many parishes such as Quat Lam, Luc Thuy, Trung Le, Trung Lao, Lai On. On the feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary on October 2, 1773, while directly evangelizing in Luong Dong (Thai Binh), he was arrested and met Father Jacinto Castaneda in prison there.

On October 20, 1773, both Dominican priests were forced to wear a yoke engraved with the words 'Mandarin of the flower pavilion' and exiled to Thang Long. During this time, the history of the North Vietnamese Church recorded an important debate among the four major religions: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and Catholicism. The content of the debate was written in a small book titled 'Council of Four Religions.' This council was called by a Trinh Sam official. The debate lasted for 3 days.

Both priests were escorted to the Dong Mo court to be executed. When the gong sounded, the executioner immediately executed Father Vincent Liem and Father Jacinto Castaneda.

On that day, two Dominican priests, one native and one foreigner, testified to Jesus Christ with their lives. Perhaps Father Vincent Liem was the first Vietnamese martyr and the first Vietnamese Dominican priest to shed blood for the faith. The Dominican brothers and sisters in Vietnam are proud to consider him their patron saint. Pope Pius X beatified Father Vincent Liem along with Father Jacinto Castaneda on April 15, 1906. Pope John Paul II canonized them on June 19, 1988.

Saint Michael Ho Dinh Hy was born in 1808 in Nhu Lam, Thua Thien province, into a devout Catholic family with nobility.
Being a high-ranking official with a repentant heart, he left behind a saintly example, dedicating himself to the faith until the final moments of his life.

At the age of 20, he married a young woman of the same faith in Son Cong village, and they had 2 sons and 3 daughters together. Like other Catholic families at that time, they practiced their faith privately. At the age of 21, he was appointed as the head official overseeing the royal silk factories. Michael Ho was one of the few trusted officials who conducted transactions with other countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. At the peak of the persecution of Catholics, when his eldest son requested to become a priest, he arranged for him to study in Indonesia.

During his years in office, he performed many charitable acts for the less fortunate in the local area, as well as assisting in the reception of French and Portuguese missionaries on the waterways through his official business dealings. Michael Ho's quick thinking helped the missionaries travel across Vietnam cautiously and safely. Unlike other Vietnamese Martyrs, his life and deeds were recorded orally and can be found in the memoirs of foreign missionaries. Upon retirement age, he petitioned Emperor Tu Duc to resign. The emperor, out of loyalty and honesty, refused his resignation, ordering him to remain in his position.

However, a local judge, angered by Michael Ho's refusal to allow him into the royal silk factories, petitioned the king to arrest him for Catholic activities. During his imprisonment, he was tortured. He played a game of cards with local court officials by signing a confession stating his involvement with the French government - those who would not support the Vietnamese court's arrest of Christians. The bishop of the Foreign Missions Society of Paris secretly urged him to retract his confession as it would only lead to more oppression. Following the king's decree, he was executed after being humiliated in public, and all his assets were confiscated by local court officials.

Some witnesses say that Saint Michael Ho Dinh Hy refused his last meal and chose to depart near his birthplace instead of at the execution site. He also chose to wear formal attire instead of prisoner clothing on the last day of his life. His remains were buried at the Cathedral of Phu Cam. He was petitioned to be canonized by Father Louis Pallard of the Foreign Missions Society of Paris to the Vatican in 1867. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1900 in Fortissimorum Virorum Seriem. Pope John Paul II canonized him in 1988 along with over 100 other Vietnamese Martyrs.

Saint Joseph Tran Van Tuan (1825-1859) was born in Dien Nam, Nam Dinh province, now part of Bui Chu diocese. He earned a living as a farmer, cultivating rice fields. Despite the hardships, his family, devout Catholics, never missed daily prayers or reciting the Rosary each morning and evening. Joseph Tuan always treated others with great courtesy, kindness, and humility. He regularly cared for and assisted those around him.

However, some people in the village grew envious of the love and respect Joseph's family received. Moreover, driven by greed, they heeded the promises of local officials that those who accused religious leaders or followers would be rewarded with gold and silver. They quietly reported Joseph's Christian activities to local authorities, falsely claiming that he contributed nothing to the government but only sought to suppress native sects or foreign missionaries.

Joseph Tuan was arrested, imprisoned, and subjected to cruel torture, wearing heavy chains and shackles, deprived of food and water. He was pressured to renounce his faith and trample on the Holy Cross, but he steadfastly refused, maintaining his beliefs. Eventually, the local magistrate ordered his execution. As Joseph Tuan witnessed the executions of other Christian martyrs, he invoked the names of Mother Mary and Jesus, pleading for their intercession. Saint Joseph Tran Van Tuan was executed on January 7, 1862. His remains were collected by a kind-hearted couple who returned them to his family for a Catholic burial.

Pope Pius XII beatified him on April 29, 1951, and Pope John Paul II canonized him on June 19, 1988.