Ngày 22/1 Thánh Francis Gil de Federich Tế

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January 22
Saint Francis FEDERICH TẾ
Dominican Priest
(1702-1754)
* The First Martyr in Vietnam.
At 43 years of age, with 10 years of evangelizing on Vietnamese soil including 8 years of imprisonment, Saint Francis’s evangelizing life did not appear to be successful, but the years in jail really made his career. Due to special circumstances, the priest of the order of preachers had carried out his mission in the royal capital Thăng Long. He baptized many new converts. In 1745 alone, he baptized 73 persons (smong them were 32 adults) and anointed many sick persons. That achievement by a “prisoner” showed the commitment, talents, and wisdom the first martyr in Vietnam.
* Youth and Dream.
Francis Gil de Federich Tế was born on 12/14/1702 in Tortosa, Spain, which was the home of so many great saints and well-known missionaries. With such a tradition of piety, he had recognized God’s call to vocation at an early age and joined the Dominica Order. After a year in the novitiate, Federich professed his solemn vow at Santa Catalina monastery in Barcelona at the age of 16.
Many years of diligent studies later, Federich was ordained a priest on 3/29/1727 and was appointed professor of philosophy as well as counselor to religious students. However, his deepest desire was to do missionary work abroad. Therefore, two years later he transferred to the Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Province, which was, the Dominican province dedicated to the evangelization effort in the Far East. He boarded a ship and headed for Manila in the Philippines in 1733.
Provincial Diego in Manila, admiring Fr. Francis Federich’s talent and piety, chose him to be his secretary and assistant. In his administrative work, news passed through his desk from the evangelization fields really kindled his missionary zeal. The following verses in his prayer to Our Lady Mary revealed his inner feelings:
“Oh Holy Mother most compassionate
My soul is pitifully crazy
Day and night burned with despair

How to repay your infinite largesse
In my thoughts, I always dream
To all corners spreading the Good News
I am now in desolation
Like a ship anchored in distant ocean.”

His noble dream finally arrived. On 8/28/1735 Fr. Francis Federich set foot on Vietnam during the reign of King Lê Ý Thông (1735-1739) and Lord Uy Nam Vương Trịnh Giang (1729-1740).
* In the Evangelizing Field.
After a short time studying Vietnamese and culture, Fr. Francis Federich served at various places. At first he ministered in Trực Ninh (Nam Định) district, then Vũ Tiên (Thái Bình); later he provided pastoral services to the two parishes Kẻ Mèn and Bắc Trạch, then relocated to Giao Thuỷ district to administered the communities of Lục Thuỷ and Quất Lâm.
One day, as he was hearing confessions in Quất Lâm, a parishioner rushed in with the news that pagans were trying to arrest him. Fr. Francis Federich calmly prayed for a short moment then continued to hear confessions. His calmness and the divine spirituality of the sacrament of reconciliation had saved him. The people trying to arrest him just stood there in astonishment for a moment and left.
* Mortal Moment...
After two short years of missionary work, Fr. Francis Federich was arrested on 8/3/1737. According to historical accounts, A Buddhist monk with a dislike for Catholicism plus a hunger for money revealed the presence of priests to the Giao Thuỷ district magistrate who sent soldiers out with the monk the pursue priests. They first went to Trung Linh village where priests had fled; unsuccessful, the monk led them to Lục Thuỷ at the moment Fr. Francis Federich had just finished celebrating Mass. To prevent sinful offense to the church and to avoid arrests of parishioners, he went out to give himself up. The priest said: “You are looking for me. Here I am. Please leave my parishioners alone.”
With the information that Fr. Francis Federich was kept in Thuỷ Nhai village, his parishioners collected money and went to see monk Tỉnh to ransom the priest out, however, the monk refused the small amount and kept the priest at his house for ten days. The parishioners then complained to the city mandarin and promised to pay him if their pastor was released. Sơn Nam city mandarin sent soldiers to Thuỷ Nhai to arrest both the Honorable Tỉnh as well as Fr. Francis Federich. However, the Honorable Tỉnh escaped and went to the royal capital to denounce to the king of the city mandarin’s receiving bribe and of the presence of European priests in Lục Thuỷ village. Learning of the accusation against him, the city mandarin canceled Fr. Francis Federich’s release and sent him to Thăng Long (Hanoi). On the way to the capital city, the priest came down with malaria, but he still had to be shackled and put in jail.

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* The First Year in Jail and the Sentence.
After recovering from malaria, Fr. Francis Federich was brought to court for two days striaght. The mandarins were courteous, but others shouted offenses and insults to him. There were also others who made crucifixes out of sticks and threw them to him. However, the priest calmly picked up the crucifixes to kiss and put them in his pockets. During his incarceration Fr. Nghi disguised as a medicine man came to visit, heard confessions and gave communion. For a whole year, Fr. Nghi as well as one of Mrs. Kính’s grandchildren often made the trip to prison to visit and to bring supplies. Through these witnesses everyone knew that Fr. Francis Federich was always patient, calm, not compalining, and even mentioned his desire to be martyred.
On 7/10/1738 Fr. Francis Federich was brought before the tribunal along with the Honorable Tỉnh. When the Sơn Nam Hạ mandarin escorted both of them to the royal capital, he had reported that the monk had kept the priest in his house for more than 10 days. To prove his innocence and his anti-Catholic stand, the monk requested to walk over the cross. On the other hand, when the mandarins asked Fr. Francis Federich to walk over the cross, he replied: “I cannot commit that mortal sin. This icon represents the Passion of God’s Son who came to earth to save mankind.” The mandarins continued: “But the law forbids preaching of this religion.” He replied: “No one has the right to forbid the preaching of Christianity which has been propagated to all people over the world. Whoever forbids is robbing God’s power.”
The mandarins discussed among themselves, then made the decision to condemn Fr. Francis Federich to death by beheading and punished the Honorable Tỉnh and his son to the field raising elephants. On September 12, the sentences were approved by Lord Trịnh Giang, but because of the monk’s appeals, the sentences were not carried out.
* God’s Words Cannot Be Tied Down.
Soon after, due to the unstable political climate Fr. Francis Federich’s sentence was forgotten: Trịnh Doanh overthrew his brother, captured the palace and installed himself as Lord Minh Đô Vương (1740-1767), then Lê Hiển Tông assumed the royal throne starting the reign of Cảnh Hưng (1740-1786); the Lê Duy Mật rebellion was started in Thanh Hoá; the Mạc’s followers revolted in the mountains region... These events so occupied the authorities that they forgot their condemned prisoner.
Taking full advantage of the opportunity, Fr. Francis Federich cleverly sought permission, sometimes with bribe, to move about in the capital Thăng Long to visit Christians, provided sacraments, and preached to pagans. Two pagan sisters, Mrs. Gạo and her sister, asked the mandarin to let the priest stay at their house. Mrs. Gạo’s sister, who had an incurable disease and was later cured through the priest’s prayers, asked to be baptized into the Catholic faith. Mrs. Gạo also became Catholic later with the baptismal name. The two sisters became very good Christians.
Noticing the ease of his movement in and out of prison, Bishop Longer Gia proposed to make pastor of Kẻ Chợ (Thăng Long) parish, but he refused because he feared that his freedom might not last. The priest said: “A prisoner cannot take care of anyone.”
Then on 5/30/1744 Fr. Francis Federich received an able collaborator in the same jail, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Leciniana Đậu also of the Dominican Order, who was arrested six months before and just brought back to Thăng Long. Overflowed with happiness, the two preachers consoled, encouraged, and corroborated on evangelizing Thăng Long.
* The Moment of Glory.
After more than 7 years and 7 months of life in jail with fellow priest, on 1/22/1745 Fr. Francis Federich was led to the execution field. Appearing cheerful, he thanked and said goodbye to the Gạo sisters, to Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu and benefactors, then calmly went to the execution site. Sentenced to only life in prison, Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu asked for permission to walk his friend out. But as they went past the royal palace, Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu was informed of a change in his sentence: he would be executed along with his friend.
The two witnesses looked at each other happily and thanked God for the opportunity to be together. At the execution site, Christians as well as pagans expressed their love and sympathy for the priests. Right after executioners severed their heads, many burst out in tears and rushed in to soak their blood or looked for mementoes.
At Bishop Hilario Hy’s direction, their remains were buried the at Lục Thuỷ seminary where the bishop officiated a solemn funeral mass in front of numerous religious priests. Right at that moment, everyone believed that the two priests had received their crowns of martyrdom and started the beatification process. On 5/20/1906 they were elevated to the rank of blessed by Pope Pius X.

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Saint Matthew ALONZO LECINIANA ĐẬU
Dominican priest
(1702-1745)
* Early Co-Martyrs of Vietnam.
On 1/22/1745, on the road to the execution field just outside Thăng Long city, two priests walked together: Fr. Francis Federich Tế and Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu. The lives of these preachers had always been bounded together. They were two close friends with similar interests. They were compatriots from Spain, Dominican religious, and belonged to the same Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Province. They both evangelized in the east vicariate of Tonkin, arrested in Lục thuỷ, and imprisoned in the same jail. But, on the road to the execution site, one, Fr. Francis Federich Tế, was jovial because he was about to be martyred, while the other, Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu, was so disappointed because he was condemned only to life in prison. At this moment they were about to be separated forever.
When the execution procession stopped in front of the royal palace, a mandarin representative from the king came out and announced: “Fr. Đậu must also be beheaded.” Fr. Leciniana Đậu’s wish was fulfilled. With that verdict, the lives of the two witnesses of faith had been linked forever: living and dying together, and finally receiving the glory among the rank of heroic martyrs. And Particularly, Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu became the early co-martyrs in Vietnam.
* The Call From the Far East.
Matthew Alonzo Leciniana Đậu was born on 10/26/1702 (Seven weeks before Francis Federich Tế) in Nava del Rey, Spain. Answering God’s call, Alonzo gave his early life to Christ in Santa Cruz monastery, which was founded by Saint Dominic in Segovia (1218), a city where many of the patriarch’s vestiges still remain. There, Alonzo had professed the solemn vows, studied theology and become a priest.
At the time, the province of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary was recruiting at monasteries for missionaries to evangelize in the Far East which was in need of missionaries. In North Vietnam, beside Bishop Sextri Tri, the province had only four priests left. In 1728, three priests were drowned when their ship sunk[1] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=43#_ftn1). Answering the call, Fr. Alonzo and 23 Spanish religious boarded a ship for Manila on 1/11/1730. The following February, together with the two priests Peter Ponsgrau Băng and Michael Pagiares, he went to Macao to enter Việt Nam. Their 11-month journey was so dangerous and stormy that Fr. Michael Pafjares had to return due to sickness. The rest arrived in Trung Linh on 1/18/1732 among the great joy of the east vicariate of Tonkin.
In a large diocese with limited personnel, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Leciniana Đậu had to be on his feet constantly and ministered to many communities. After studying Vietnamese in Trung Linh, he evangelized in Sơn Nam Thượng, working in districts Kim Đông, Tiên Lữ, and Thần Khê (Hưng Yên), then Thanh Quan, Vũ Tiên (Thái Bình), and even Nam Châu, Giao Thuỷ, Xuân Trường (Nam Định). He also pastored at large parishes such as Trung Lao, Tiên Chu, Kẻ Hệ and Lai Ôn. His health was not very good; he was thin and weak, but he overcame all sufferings and worked tirelessly.
* The Trials.
In November 1743, sensing that conditions in Lai Ôn were becoming unstable, he went to Lục Thuỷ Hạ and took refuge at the home of the parish council president, Mr. Độ. Unfortunately, an ex-Christian named Đạt learned of the arrangement and denounced it to the authority. Morning of November 29, soldiers surrounded Lục Thuỷ village and swarmed into the house as Fr. Matthew Alonzo Leciniana Đậu was clebrating Mass. The congregation fled in panic. Taken by surprise, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Leciniana Đậu also fled clutching the chalice in his hands while consuming the sacred breads. However, it was too late soldiers caught and beat him severely. They pushed to the ground, tore his clothes, pulled his hair, and mocked at him. A soldier scraped Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu’s side with a lance causing so much pain as well as spilling blood all over soil his white habits. Arrested with him were three catechists: Dominic Sĩ, Dominic Đậu, Ignatius Quý and two parishioners. All were brought to Mr. Lê Văn Phượng, Sơn Nam city mandarin, who freed all except Fr. Matthew Alonzo and Mr. Quý.
After three court appearances where the mandarin used all manners of threats, enticements and even tortures without making the two renouncing their faith. On December 12, asked the priest if he knew of the king’s ban on preaching Christianity, the priest replied: “It’s because of the ban that I was in hiding.” The mandarin immediately prepared a petition to the king to execute Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu while Mr. Quý was sentenced to raise elephants for life.
Later, with the intervention of a mandarin sympathetic to Christianity, his death sentence was changed to life imprisonment while Mr. Quý was freed after paying the mandarin some money. On 5/30/1744, soldiers escorted Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu to Thăng Long and put in the same jail as Fr. Francis Federich Tế who had been in jail since 1737 and sentenced to death, but his execution was delayed due to the tumultuous political climate of the time.

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* Together in Life, Death and Glory.
The reunion brought such a divine happiness to the two brothers of the same religious order with the same age in the same jail. From then on, they would not be lonely any longer. They would share with each other their thoughts, reminisced old memories, talked about their ministries and prayed together. With some money, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu was also allowed to visit and helped Christians in the city. On the Feast of Holy Trinity in 1744, Fr. Francis Federich Tế officiated Mass while Fr. Mathew Alonzo Đậu served as altar boy. But a better moment worth remembering more and probably the most unique in the annals of martyrs was the Mass that Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu celebrated in prison with the attendance of 130 Thăng Long Christians on April 6, 1744 during the Feast of the Eucharist. Seven months of imprisonment in the royal capital went by quietly, the two priests continued to proclaim the Gospel, heard confessions, baptized, anointed the sick, and encouraged the faithful. In seven months, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu alone had baptized 55, including 22 adults, and heard confessions from 620 sinners.
On 1/22/1745 Fr. Francis Federich Tế was ordered to be executed. Depressed at his sentence of life imprisonment, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu begged the mandarin to allow him to accompany his friend to the execution site.
As they stopped at the royal palace, after a mandarin read Fr. Francis Federich Tế’s sentence, he continued: “Matthew was also an European priest who was sentenced to life imprisonment, now sentenced to death by beheading.”
Finally, Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu wishes were fulfilled. At the execution site, soldiers, removing shackles from their hands and legs, inadvertently spattered a lot of blood. The faithful approached them to kiss the shackles and asked for their crucifixes as souvenirs. After being tied to stakes, the two priests were executed at the same time with the sympathy of all the spectators, Christians as well as pagans. A historical account recorded: An elderly Buddhist elderly woman softly prayed to Buddha to save the priests. When the martyrs’ heads fell to the ground, many cried loudly and rushed in to soak the blood or to look for mementos.
The Superior, Fr. Peter Ponsgrau Băng, who came to Vietnam on the same day as Fr. Matthew Alonzo Đậu, sent two catechists, Messrs. Điều and Luận, together with a few Christians to bring the remains of the loyal servants to Lục Thuỷ seminary. Parishioners of Bùi Chu, Trung Linh, and Trung Lễ parishes fought among themselves for the right to bury the martyrs at their church. The Vicar had to intervene asking them to bury the remains at the seminary. A few days later, Bishop Hilario Hy officiated the thanksgiving Mass with the attendance of numerous religious priests and lay Christians.
Pope Pius X elevated Fr. Francis Federich Tế and Fr. Matthew Leciniana Đậu to the rank of blessed on 5/20/1906.

[1] (http://www.gpnt.net/diendan/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=43#_ftnref1) Reverends Sebastiano Bartena, Gioan Travaria, Lui Aguado.
Xc Bùi Đức Sinh, Dòng Da Minh trên đất Việt. q,1, p. 68.