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29-05-2006, 10:47 AM
June 06
Saint Peter ĐINH VĂN DŨNG
Fisherman
(1800-1862)
Saint Peter ĐINH VĂN THUẦN
Fisherman
(1802-1862)
* Two Bright Torches
Jesus Christ, the Eternal Light had incarnated in the world to reveal the Salvation. He came and invited those who followed him to become the light to the world, to bear witness to the Word of Salvation by words, attitudes and by their own lives. Christians will become lights and lead exemplary lives “that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5, 16) through hard works as signs that heavenly works are being done and with a committed willingness to live for the Truth.
When the two saints Peter Dũng and Peter Thuần accepted the death sentence instead of renouncing their faith, they had used their bodies as torches of light: destroying their lives to live on forever. And from those momentary flames, all will see the glow of the divine light of God to whom they bore witness to their last breath.
* Difficult Challenges
Mr. Peter Đinh Văn Dũng (son of Mr. Peter Mẫn and Mrs. Mary An) and Mr. Peter Đinh Văn Thuần were cousins and both were over 60 years old. They came from the community of Đông Phú, Trung Đồng parish, Kẻ Mèn district, Thái Bình province in the diocese of Mid Đàng Ngoài (vicariate of Mid Tonkin (North)). They were both fishermen like their patron saint Peter. Particularly Mr. Peter Thuần was selected the village chief due to his integrity and abilities. As simple and conscientious Christians, after getting married, they diligently taught their children to live the Christian ways in accordance with the Good News.
In August 1861, under King Tự Đức’s edict of Separation and Intergration, persecutions of Christians became more violent, especially in the vicariate of Mid Tonkin (North). Mandarins carried out the king’s order to the letter, they not only sent soldiers out pursuing missionaries, bishops, priests, catechists, but also forced all Christians, no matter young or old, male or female, to trample on the cross. Segregated Christians’ land, farming fields, houses, animals ... were confiscated or destroyed. Moreover, the words “Bad Religion” were carved onto Christians’ cheeks to prevent them from fleeing. In reality, The Vietnamese Church was facing great challenges.
Early 1862, anti-Christian terror came down on the village of Đông Phú. Both Messrs. Peter Dũng and Peter Thuần were arrested and taken to the municipal seat where he was thrown in jail in Ngọc Chí. In jail, the two had to endure many tortures; they were in cangue and shackled in leg irons. Many times they were brought before the mandarin who ordered them to trample on the cross, however they both unequivocally refused, and unambiguously expressed their faith in Christ
* Two Lively Examples
The authorities had to employ emotion hoping to overcome their resistance. The mandarin had soldiers accompany the men home to see their wives and children. Seeing their husbands and fathers in cangues and shackles, both families were in tear. But even the authorities could not anticipate that the two men calmly counseled their families to accept the men’s decisions to sacrifice their lives. Mr. Peter Dũng said:
“Be happy because I could sacrifice my life for Christ.”
Then the men quietly returned to jail to live with other witnesses of faith.
On April 1862, the authorities sent the two men to the village of Lương Mỹ, Quỳnh Côi district, Thái Bình province, and jailed them there for a little over two months. Here, Mr. Peter Thuần once gave up and walked over the cross. However, after seeing and talking with his fellow Christian inmates, he regained his courage and continued to maintain his faith until his death, regardless of tortures.
The mandarins found it a waste of time to continue the men’s imprisonment; they decided to sentence the men to death by burning. On 6/6/1862 the mandarin had the two soldiers of faith put into a tiny bamboo cage, then piled logs around it to burn the men alive. In the shimmering flame, the two Christ’s witnesses prayed, thanking God in their moment of sacrificing their lives to express their enduring faith in the Savior. Their charred bodies were buried right at the execution site. Later, Christians removed their remains and reburied them at the courtyard of the church of Đông Phú, their hometown.
Together with the other 23 Vietnamese martyrs, Messrs. Peter Đinh Văn Dũng and Peter Đinh Văn Thuần were elevated by Pope Pius XII to the rank of blessed on 4/29/1951.
Hoàng Tôn Thất
Saint Peter ĐINH VĂN DŨNG
Fisherman
(1800-1862)
Saint Peter ĐINH VĂN THUẦN
Fisherman
(1802-1862)
* Two Bright Torches
Jesus Christ, the Eternal Light had incarnated in the world to reveal the Salvation. He came and invited those who followed him to become the light to the world, to bear witness to the Word of Salvation by words, attitudes and by their own lives. Christians will become lights and lead exemplary lives “that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5, 16) through hard works as signs that heavenly works are being done and with a committed willingness to live for the Truth.
When the two saints Peter Dũng and Peter Thuần accepted the death sentence instead of renouncing their faith, they had used their bodies as torches of light: destroying their lives to live on forever. And from those momentary flames, all will see the glow of the divine light of God to whom they bore witness to their last breath.
* Difficult Challenges
Mr. Peter Đinh Văn Dũng (son of Mr. Peter Mẫn and Mrs. Mary An) and Mr. Peter Đinh Văn Thuần were cousins and both were over 60 years old. They came from the community of Đông Phú, Trung Đồng parish, Kẻ Mèn district, Thái Bình province in the diocese of Mid Đàng Ngoài (vicariate of Mid Tonkin (North)). They were both fishermen like their patron saint Peter. Particularly Mr. Peter Thuần was selected the village chief due to his integrity and abilities. As simple and conscientious Christians, after getting married, they diligently taught their children to live the Christian ways in accordance with the Good News.
In August 1861, under King Tự Đức’s edict of Separation and Intergration, persecutions of Christians became more violent, especially in the vicariate of Mid Tonkin (North). Mandarins carried out the king’s order to the letter, they not only sent soldiers out pursuing missionaries, bishops, priests, catechists, but also forced all Christians, no matter young or old, male or female, to trample on the cross. Segregated Christians’ land, farming fields, houses, animals ... were confiscated or destroyed. Moreover, the words “Bad Religion” were carved onto Christians’ cheeks to prevent them from fleeing. In reality, The Vietnamese Church was facing great challenges.
Early 1862, anti-Christian terror came down on the village of Đông Phú. Both Messrs. Peter Dũng and Peter Thuần were arrested and taken to the municipal seat where he was thrown in jail in Ngọc Chí. In jail, the two had to endure many tortures; they were in cangue and shackled in leg irons. Many times they were brought before the mandarin who ordered them to trample on the cross, however they both unequivocally refused, and unambiguously expressed their faith in Christ
* Two Lively Examples
The authorities had to employ emotion hoping to overcome their resistance. The mandarin had soldiers accompany the men home to see their wives and children. Seeing their husbands and fathers in cangues and shackles, both families were in tear. But even the authorities could not anticipate that the two men calmly counseled their families to accept the men’s decisions to sacrifice their lives. Mr. Peter Dũng said:
“Be happy because I could sacrifice my life for Christ.”
Then the men quietly returned to jail to live with other witnesses of faith.
On April 1862, the authorities sent the two men to the village of Lương Mỹ, Quỳnh Côi district, Thái Bình province, and jailed them there for a little over two months. Here, Mr. Peter Thuần once gave up and walked over the cross. However, after seeing and talking with his fellow Christian inmates, he regained his courage and continued to maintain his faith until his death, regardless of tortures.
The mandarins found it a waste of time to continue the men’s imprisonment; they decided to sentence the men to death by burning. On 6/6/1862 the mandarin had the two soldiers of faith put into a tiny bamboo cage, then piled logs around it to burn the men alive. In the shimmering flame, the two Christ’s witnesses prayed, thanking God in their moment of sacrificing their lives to express their enduring faith in the Savior. Their charred bodies were buried right at the execution site. Later, Christians removed their remains and reburied them at the courtyard of the church of Đông Phú, their hometown.
Together with the other 23 Vietnamese martyrs, Messrs. Peter Đinh Văn Dũng and Peter Đinh Văn Thuần were elevated by Pope Pius XII to the rank of blessed on 4/29/1951.
Hoàng Tôn Thất