Saint Saint Dominic Dinh Van Dat (1803 - 1839) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

In 1838, during the 19th year of Minh Mang’s reign, the king ordered all Catholic soldiers in the military to be arrested. Following the order, Trinh Quang Khanh, Governor-General of Nam Dinh, summoned around 500 Catholic soldiers to the court and used all manners of tactics like getting them drunk, threatening and intimidating them to force them to renounce their faith out of fear. However, some remained steadfast, including soldier Daminh Dinh Dat. He was born in 1803 in Phu Nhai, Nam Dinh and served in the military from age 24 until his arrest and execution by dismemberment on July 18, 1838. He may have been a member of the Dominican Third Order and was beatified in 1900.

In 1838, Governor Trinh Quang Khanh summoned around 500 Catholic soldiers to court and ordered them to step over a cross to show they had renounced Catholicism. He promised to restore their military positions and stop religious persecution for those who obeyed, while threatening punishment for the stubborn. Some soldiers agreed to step over the cross under pressure, while the rest were forced over. However, 15 still adamantly refused and were imprisoned and tortured. The next day, their families and friends were also called in to persuade them to renounce their faith, but without success. In the end, unable to withstand it, 6 agreed to renounce their faith while 9 remained steadfast.

Among them, Augustino Huy was the bravest. On the night before the third trial, Mr. Huy managed to return home to settle family affairs and confess to Father Thieu. The next morning, he returned to jail to prepare for the trial. At the trial, Trinh Quang Khanh still threatened and made promises to reward those who would renounce their faith. 4 more could not withstand and agreed to renounce their faith. 5 remained steadfast and undefeated despite brutal beatings and torture. Having failed to suppress Catholicism, Trinh Quang Khanh was dismissed. He was replaced by Le Van Duc. But the 5 steadfast men did not waver.

On June 25, 1838, the court ordered the execution of Bishop Minh and Father Phanxico Chieu. At the same time, the 5 remaining Catholic soldiers were also brought to the execution ground in order to intimidate them into abandoning their faith. But the 5 rejoiced, thinking they would soon be martyred. Seeing this, the court brought them back to prison. The next morning, the court summoned and threatened, persuaded them to renounce their faith to no avail. After brutal beatings still did not break them, the court ordered them bound in chains and dragged across the cross. Under pressure, 2 agreed to renounce their faith, but Mr. Huy, The and Dat remained steadfast.

After the two renounced their faith, Mr. Huy, The and Dat became even more resolute, accepting heavier imprisonment and torture. Two days later, the court summoned the 3 men and demanded they renounce their faith, again without success. Mr. Huy even read prayers and preached before the court but was beaten. The court then ordered the 3 men dragged across the cross, brutally beaten until they bled, but could not shake their steadfast faith.

On hot days, the 3 men had their heads shaved, wore cangues and were exposed to the sun in front of the court. They endured the heat, mosquitoes and flies but remained steadfast. Friends and fellow soldiers were ordered by the court to advise them to renounce their faith. Mr. Dat’s wife also came crying but was reprimanded by her husband. In prison, the men also mortified themselves, fasted and gave up their meager food for others. They prayed ceaselessly and asked the congregation to pray that they remain steadfast.

In September, there was news that the 3 men were to be executed so they rejoiced. They sent word for their wives and children to prepare for their passing. However, afterward they were again brutally tortured but still refused to renounce their faith. The court prepared documents sentencing them to death and submitted them to King Minh Mang. The king did not wish to kill them and ordered the court to persuade the men to renounce their faith by all means, even threatening to slice their backs, but the 3 men remained steadfast and unshakable.

In October 1838, Trinh Quang Khanh returned as Governor-General of Nam Dinh. Seeing the 3 men still steadfast, he again proposed their execution to the king, but King Minh Mang still did not approve, scolding him for failing to persuade the 3 men. They were driven out of the citadel and insulted for 21 days, then imprisoned again, enticed but unshaken.

The court forced their relatives to persuade them to renounce their faith, or else face punishment themselves. Under pressure, Mr. The agreed to renounce his faith. Seeing this, Mr. Dat also agreed to renounce his faith. Only Mr. Huy remained steadfast to the end.

After his two friends renounced their faith, Mr. Huy remained steadfast and unshakable. The court still tried to entice him in every way but he refused. Then one late night, the court's men came to persuade him to renounce his faith like his two friends had, to avoid trouble. Finally, Mr. Huy also agreed to renounce his faith.

Afterward, all three men felt remorseful consciences for having failed God. They decided to go to confession and asked to return to the Catholic faith. The men went to see the Governor-General to ask to profess their faith again. The Governor-General was angry but at a loss since he had already reported to the imperial court that the men had renounced their faith. In the end he dismissed the men and they continued to pray and prepare for martyrdom.

After being dismissed by the Governor-General, the three Catholic soldiers Mr. Huy, The and Dat were still unsatisfied for not having sacrificed their lives for their faith. They decided to go to the capital Hue to meet the king to ask for death for their faith, to make amends for their earlier failure. Before leaving, they explained to Father Tuyen why they had renounced their faith - it was because they cared for their parents, siblings and villagers. Now they wished to go to the capital to openly profess their faith before the king so everyone would know they had only faltered due to weakness, not by choice. After receiving Father Tuyen’s agreement and encouragement, they resolutely set off.

In 1839, unable to go together to ask for martyrdom, Mr. Dat stayed behind to watch the house, while Mr. Huy and The went to the capital Hue. The two men stayed at a believer's house, fasted, prayed and prepared their souls. They wrote petitions and waited but received no reply. One day, when King Minh Mang went out, the two prostrated themselves to submit their petition. The king ordered them imprisoned, ordering the court to interrogate them and force them to renounce their faith, but without success. They explained that Mr. Dat also wished to go but was kept in Nam Dinh; his will was the same as the two of them. But the two men remained steadfast and unshakable.

King Minh Mang still hoped to shake Mr. Huy and The’s resolve so he ordered the court to try to persuade and threaten them in many ways, but to no avail. In the end, he ordered their death sentence by beheading and throwing the bodies into the sea. On May 2, 1839, the two men were brought to the execution ground. Along the way, they remained cheerful, astonishing everyone. Upon arrival, though the court still advised them to renounce their faith, the two steadfastly chose to die for their faith. They were beheaded and their bodies thrown into the sea. Hearing the news, Mr. Dat in his hometown also prepared himself spiritually, ready to face martyrdom.

At the end of June 1839, Mr. Dat received news that he was to be arrested and executed. He was overjoyed, bade farewell to everyone and prepared mentally. His wife cried and pleaded for him to think of her and their children but he was resolute in his faith. After attending Mass and saying his goodbyes, he was brought away. Along the way his wife still followed crying but he asked her to go home. At the provincial court, the judge asked if he would renounce his faith like his two friends but he steadfastly chose to die for his faith.

On July 18, 1839, Mr. Dat was brought to his execution by dismemberment. Though the court still tried to persuade him to renounce his faith, he adamantly chose to die for his faith. He was tied to a pole and strangled to death. His body was brought back and buried solemnly in his hometown.

Along with his two friends Mr. Huy and The, Mr. Dat was beatified by the Pope on May 27, 1900 and canonized on June 19, 1988.