Skip to main content

BL. ANDREW PHU YEN, MARTYR - 26 JULY

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JULY

Saints celebrated on the 26th of July

WELCOME!

BLESSED ANDREW PHU YEN, MARTYR

[On] July 26, one of the Blesseds celebrated by the Church is Blessed Andrew Phu Yen, the first martyr of Vietnam.

HE HAD STAYED BEHIND TO CARE FOR THE SICK

When soldiers from Mandarin Bo arrived on July 25, 1644 to arrest a priest, they only found the lay youth, 19 year old Blessed Andrew Phu Yen, in the compound. Blessed Andrew had stayed behind to care for the sick. Not wishing to return empty handed to Mandarin Bo, the soldiers arrested Blessed Andrew, beat him up, destroyed his religious goods, and transported him to the governor’s palace.

HE ATTEMPTED TO PERSUADE HIM TO CHANGE HIS BELIEFS

That evening the soldiers delivered Blessed Andrew to Mandarin Bo, who attempted to persuade him to change his beliefs. Blessed Andrew refused to yield and he was put in chains and sent to prison. The next morning Mandarin Bo again tried to persuade Blessed Andrew to renounce his Faith. When he refused, a death sentence was passed. Blessed Andrew was taken away to a field outside the city, where many pleaded with Mandarin Bo to release the youth. This plea was refused. So Blessed Andrew spoke to those gathered around him:

"GOD SUFFERED AND DIED FOR US"

‘Brothers and sisters, dear Jesus wants us to use love to do what love requires. God suffered and died for us, so let us be ready to give our lives for the sake of life. I was arrested and would not die for any crime except for belief in God our Creator and Saviour. Everything we have comes from God, so I am not afraid of any punishment except hell that awaits those who refuse to believe in God. Be careful not to deny God and not to go to hell.’

"I HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO DO THIS"

After some delay, soldiers stepped forward and forced Blessed Andrew to kneel on the ground. Two executioners stood near Blessed Andrew. One of the soldiers said, ‘O God, if I am guilty of killing this man, forgive me because I have been ordered to do this.’ Blessed Andrew was stabbed many times and the body of this teenage martyr was later taken to the town of Hoi An. Blessed Andrew was beatified by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000.

(From: Spiritual Thought From FatherChris)

⬅️ Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions - Martyrs of Vietnam 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

WELCOME

  Please pick your saints: January - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17   18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29    30    31   February - Saints by date  1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17 18    19    20    21    22    23    24    25    26    27    28    29 ...

BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR 16th century houses, painted by Auguste Mayer He was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one of our universities; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was received into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577; and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he remained in the English college till 1580, when he returned into England, and was not long after apprehended: for I find by a printed diary of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585, that on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam , and other priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons; and that these two, on the 10th...

BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

  ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute.  He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...