Saint Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh (1772-1838) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

For decades before his execution in 1838, he tirelessly preached the Gospel and served persecuted Catholics under King Minh Mang's rule.

Who is foolish and who is wise

When Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh was brought to the city gate under escort, seeing a Cross placed upside down along the path, he stopped and asked the mandarins to have the soldiers right it, because according to Catholicism, the Cross represents the grace of salvation so no one should be allowed to trample it, which is a grave sin. After entering the city and meeting the judge, he calmly answered questions about his age, hometown, pastoral work of teaching people to do good and avoid evil. When asked to renounce his faith in order to be pardoned like the apostate priest Duyet, he firmly refused and explained why he remained loyal. His response about the afterlife destiny of those who follow and do not follow Jesus Christ angered the judge who had him beaten and imprisoned.

The faith has seeped into his soul

Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh was brought to trial several more times. Once he was asked to step on an image of the Virgin Mary instead of the Cross, but he respectfully picked it up and kissed it, for which he was sentenced to 100 lashes, but he willingly accepted the punishment with joy. Another time he was tried together with priest Duyet, who had renounced the faith. When Duyet stepped over the Cross on the mandarin's order, Father Du angrily rebuked him for that betrayal, but the other man mocked him in response. Father Du argued with the mandarins and soldiers and was sentenced to 30 lashes for using vulgar language in his anger. Afterwards he leisurely challenged them to beat him more, demanding they strike both sides of his buttocks instead of just one side.

When they saw that Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh and Vu Van Due could not be forced to renounce their faith, the mandarins prepared a sentence of capital punishment, claiming that the two had been deceived by the West into converting to the religion of God, and not only that but spread it to others to the point where they could not abandon it. Hearing that the death sentence had been signed, Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh rejoiced and became more steadfast. He used his time in prison to preach the faith, encourage the spirits of fellow prisoners, and provide guidance to the guards. In his final week alive, he remained tranquil under pressure to renounce his religion, expressing his lifelong desire to be a son of God.

We are going to Heaven

On August 1, 1838, the 83-year-old Bernadus Due and 66-year-old Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh were brought out for execution. Father Du got up early in the morning to pray, then bid farewell and expressed gratitude to his fellow prisoners who had helped him. At the final trial, when asked if he had changed his mind, he joyfully answered that he had long awaited dying for the faith so now was very happy. Because of his elderly frailty, Father Due was carried in a litter while Father Du, heavily shackled, had to walk until he was completely exhausted before being allowed to be carried. Nevertheless, he consoled the Catholics that the two fathers were soon going to Heaven to enjoy eternal blessings.

Upon arrival at the Bai Mau execution grounds, Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh asked Father Due to pray with him to arouse more fervor before the execution. The two knelt in prayer for a while before their shackles were removed and they were tied to posts to be beheaded. As ordered, the two executioners chopped off their heads then held them up for the crowd to see. People rushed forward to soak cloths in the martyrs’ blood. Their bodies were buried right there at the execution site, though later Catholics obtained permission to rebury them properly in Luc Thuy. The two priests, steadfast in their faith, drank the bitter cup of persecution and gained eternal glory together.

Pope Leo XIII beatified Father Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh and Bernadus Vu Van Due on May 27, 1900. Then on June 19, 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized Dominic Nguyen Van Hanh as a Saint.