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ST PAUL GE TINGZHU, MARTYR - 8 AUGUST

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

Saints celebrated on the 8th of August

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SAINT PAUL GE TINGZHU, MARTYR 

Saint Paul Ge Tingzhu, born 1839, was a farmer of Xiaotun, China, and the leading Catholic layman in his village. In 1900 the Chinese quasi-religious faction known as the “Boxers” began a bloody persecution against Christians in China.

AS THE SUN ROSE ON AUGUST 8, PAUL WAS SETTING OFF WITH A SHOVEL OVER HIS SHOULDER

As the sun rose on August 8, 1900, Paul was setting out with a shovel over his shoulder to begin his routine farm labours when he was confronted by a band of Boxers. Having been told that the sixty-one-year-old farmer was a Catholic, the Boxers demanded from him a denial of his faith. Paul answered, ‘Absolutely not!’

THEY TIED HIM TO A TREE AND DEMANDED THAT HE APOSTATISE

The Boxers prepared to kill him on the spot. Paul interrupted them, insisting that insofar as the ground they were standing on belonged to another farmer, they should take him to his own farm plot and kill him there instead. The Boxers then brought Paul to his own field, tied him to a tree, and again demanded that he apostatise.

"IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU KILL MY BODY; I WANT TO SAVE MY SOUL"

Paul replied, ‘No, no! It does not matter if you kill my body; I want to save my soul.’ The Boxers proceeded to dismember and disembowel him. During his horrific death agony, Paul reaffirmed his profession of the Catholic faith and continually invoked the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.

“My body and my strength faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” (Psalm 72:26)

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that we who know how courageously your holy martyr Paul confessed the faith, may experience his goodness as he intercedes for us with you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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