Saint Andrew Nguyen Manh Tuong (1812-1862) - Vietnamese Martyr Saints

Andrew Tuong, teacher, was born in 1812 in Ngoc Cuc, Nam Dinh. He was martyred on June 16, 1862 in Lang Coc village. He was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church in 1951 and canonized on June 19, 1988.

However, in the case of Saint Andrew Tuong, we do not see any miracles recorded, the documents left behind are too few, only sketching out a few rough details about his life and virtues. So how can we fully understand the path of his virtues to follow?

It feels like he is an almost unknown saint, because we know very little about him.

The feast day of Saint Andrew Tuong is celebrated annually on June 16.

Witnessing the Good News is not just in words or great deeds, but also in the most ordinary things of daily life. Their witness goes beyond writing or documents. Faith itself is the core, despising everything, even one's own life.

BECOMING A SAINT THROUGH ORDINARY LIFE

Andrew Tuong was born in 1812 in Luc Thuy, Nam Dinh. His parents were Mr. Daminh Tien and Mrs. Maria Guong. He grew up, started a family and had many children. He fulfilled his duty to educate his family in a quiet lifestyle, also living a very quiet Catholic religious life.

Andrew Tuong was arrested on September 14, 1861, at the age of 50, along with Mr. Daminh Nguyen, 60 years old, Vinh Son Tuong, 48 years old, Daminh Mao, 44 years old and Daminh Nhi, 40 years old. Initially, they were tortured and detained in Xuan Truong, then exiled to Bach Coc village, Vu Ban, a pagan village.

According to the testimony of Da Minh Mau, Saint Andrew Tuong’s son-in-law, in the three or four times he came to visit, he always saw them diligently praying the rosary, praying to the angels, and fasting three times a week.

During the nine months they were imprisoned, they were tortured a lot. During the day, they were shackled with heavy shackles and at night their feet were cuffed. The words "Heretic" were carved on their right cheek, and on their left cheek was carved the name of the district and prefecture, so they could not escape. But they firmly stated: "Do the mandarins see us as frightened children, more afraid of torture than offending God?"

When the mandarins saw that they would not renounce their faith, they carried out the death sentence. On June 16, 1862, they were taken to the execution ground and beheaded.

According to witnesses, before being executed, they prayed the Act of Contrition, the Prayer of Offering, and asked for three sword strikes to honor the Holy Trinity.

Their bodies were buried right there at the execution site, later exhumed and reburied in Ngoc Cuc village.

AN ALMOST UNKNOWN SAINT

Andrew Tuong lived during the most brutal anti-Catholic persecutions in the history of the Vietnamese Church. Due to the French conquest, Emperor Tu Duc issued cruel edicts to destroy Catholicism.

In 1851, Emperor Tu Duc issued an edict forcing all Catholic mandarins and soldiers to renounce their faith. Mandarins had one month to comply, soldiers had six months. If they did not renounce their faith, they would lose all privileges, be barred from examinations and public office. They would also be exiled to the mountainous upper regions.

In 1859, Emperor Tu Duc issued an edict taking revenge on Catholics, suspecting them of colluding with foreigners in the French attack on Da Nang harbor.

The edict stated:

• Arrest all the leaders in the country, imprison all Catholic mandarins and soldiers.
• Make a registry of all Catholics aged 15 and above.
• Disband the Lovers of the Holy Cross order, take them as servants in mandarins' households.

In 1861, Emperor Tu Duc issued the cruelest edict yet against Catholics. According to this edict:

• All Catholic families must be dispersed, with spouses, parents and children separated and sent to different pagan villages.
• For every 5 pagans, one Catholic must be supervised.
• All churches and Catholic facilities must be razed.
• Lands and parish houses of Catholics must be distributed to pagans.
• On the right cheek of Catholics, the words "Heretic" must be carved, and on the left cheek, the district and prefecture, so they cannot escape.

Indeed, these edicts devastated the Vietnamese Church in a horrific way. Bishop Liêu (Retord) exclaimed: "Oh how miserable is the Vietnamese Church! I am sitting on the rubble of the sanctuaries, like the prophet Jeremiah sitting on the rubble of the temple of Jerusalem.”

Many people died in the deep forests and hostile lands, leaving no trace. The figure of 130,000 martyrs is only an estimate. During this period, up to 400,000 people were displaced and exiled, 35,000 died for their faith, 115 priests were executed, 80 Lovers of the Holy Cross convents were destroyed, 100 Lovers of the Holy Cross nuns died for their faith.

Thus, Saint Andrew Tuong truly represents the more than one hundred thousand nameless people who died for their faith. Needing no one to know him, no one to write books praising him, he remains forever the lowliest in the list of canonized saints. But the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is still greater than John the Baptist, as the Lord said before.

Just as there are countless gestures, feelings and actions in life that are not written down yet still have great value. A smile of tolerance, a look of empathy, a hand gently consoling... are all masterpieces more precious than any work by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh.

Witnessing the Gospel is not just in speeches or texts. True witness is those who live the Gospel in their ordinary daily lives. They treasure faith above all, including their own lives.

THE GREAT GOOD NEWS: THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT

Therefore, the canonization of saints is truly an invaluable gift for each of us. From now on, we know how to tap into the precious treasure buried in every person's heart, simply needing the eye of faith to see it. This is the shortest, easiest and most readily available path that anyone can follow, anyone can become a saint. And from now on, we begin to live richly, with the noble bearing of God's children.

Tonight, rosary in hand reciting the simplest prayers, I feel I am praying with Saint Andrew Tuong and countless ancestors in faith, lifting up a hymn praising the power of faith. The prayers are like breath across generations, still vibrantly alive today, continuing to impart strength. I just need to attune myself to that breath to receive all the life force to revive my soul.