Saint Luke Pham Trong Thin (1820 - 1859) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

Luke Pham Trong Thin

Born in 1820 into a well-off family in Quan Cong village, Tra Lu commune, Nam Dinh province, Saint Luke Pham Trong Thin was well-educated and achieved many accomplishments. He became the chief canton at just over 30 years old. Due to his administrative work, he socialized widely and developed a dissolute lifestyle, neglecting his family's moral and religious life. Fortunately, thanks to his father's advice and his confessor's guidance, he sincerely repented. He bravely left his concubine, returned to a moral lifestyle, and dutifully raised his children. He also enthusiastically participated in religious activities in his role as chief canton. With such virtue, Mr. Thin had much prestige in the village and handled state affairs under the Nguyen dynasty.

In 1858, when the French and Spanish threatened the Vietnamese people in Da Nang, King Tu Duc angrily ordered a complete ban on Catholicism. Commissioned by Bishop Sampedro - Xuyen, Chief Thin and Assistant Chief Ta directly met with the provincial governor of Nam Dinh to plead leniency for the Catholics and promised to encourage their loyalty to the court. However, a Catholic named Cao Xa, dissatisfied with the local officials, incited the people to rebel. The angry governor ordered the two chiefs arrested for deception.

At the government office, despite severe torture and coercion to renounce his faith, Mr. Thin remained staunch with his father, Mr. An Kham. When asked to write his thoughts, he affirmed readiness to endure any painful punishment, even death, rather than renounce his humble faith. Faced with such resolute attitude, the officials sentenced him to death to be submitted to the Hue court.

On January 13, 1859, Luke Pham Trong Thin was executed by strangulation for his faith at Bay Mau execution ground, in the grievous sight of his wife and children. The faithful reverently brought his remains back for burial at Quan Cong church.

Chief Canton Luke Pham Trong Thin was beatified on April 29, 1951 and canonized on June 19, 1988, recognizing his martyrdom for the Catholic faith.

Joseph PHAM TRONG TA (1800-1859) - Luke PHAM TRONG THIN (1820-1859) - Chief Cantons

The lives of Chief Ta and Chief Thin, although 20 years apart in age, intertwined in the historical context of martyrdom.

In 1858, as the persecution intensified, Bishop Sampecro Xuyen entrusted them to serve as peace envoys. They went to meet directly with the Governor of Nam Dinh, asking him to spare the faithful. However, the negotiations failed because someone had incited a group to rebel against the local mandarins.

They were arrested and executed for refusing to step on the Cross.

Brought to trial three times, all three times they resolutely refused to step on the Cross, despite threats and beatings. Chief Thin wrote a plaque clearly and courageously professing his Faith: "I am a Christian, ready to accept any torture, even the most painful death, rather than violate even a small fault in my religion."

In 1858, the king offered rewards to anyone who reported the hiding places of European missionaries. Quan Cong village was a rather safe haven, as the village dignitaries were Catholics, willing to welcome the missionaries.

Bishop Sampedro Xuyen, representing the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Vietnam, anticipating that he might be suddenly arrested, had appointed Bishop Valentino Vinh as his auxiliary bishop. All four took refuge in Quan Cong village, staying at the homes of Magistrate Kham, Chief Ta and Nhieu Con.

The Nam Dinh provincial judge received secret information and mobilized troops to come and arrest them. Magistrate Kham quickly got news and hastily tried to help the missionaries escape from the village.

After the missionaries had gone far away, Magistrate Kham had the village crier go first, personally following behind wielding a cane, ordering the crier to loudly announce: "Anyone out past curfew will be punished with three strokes of the cane and expelled from the village." Then he gathered and encouraged the villagers.

Government troops rushed into the village, gathering all the villagers and summoning Magistrate Kham to present himself. The mandarin demanded that he turn over the Western and native priests as well as the catechists hiding in the village.

Magistrate Kham calmly replied: "It's true our religion has religious leaders but we don't know where they are. Feel free to search, if you find anyone in the village then do with them as you wish."

The soldiers searched every home but did not find a single priest. Nevertheless, the judge ordered Magistrate Kham and his whole family put in chains.

The provincial judge had a cross placed in the middle of the yard, forcing everyone to step over it in turn. But the entire village resolutely refused to step over it. One elder started to carry out the order but was stopped by Magistrate Kham.

The angry mandarin put Magistrate Kham, Chief Ta, Chief Thin and several others in chains and took them to Nam Dinh.

We Have Received the Kingdom of Heaven

After returning to Nam Dinh, Magistrate Kham got to meet his son Chief Thin during the times the two were brought to trial. Later, they were imprisoned together in the same cell. Father and son were overjoyed and encouraged each other to endure hardship for the sake of the Christian faith. All the Catholic prisoners from Quan Cong village promised each other they would remain loyal to the faith, even at the cost of their lives. Magistrate Kham himself spoke on behalf of the group many times to answer the mandarin’s questions and tried to spread the teachings of the Lord.

One day, after capturing Bishop Xuyen, the mandarin had the three men brought to meet the Bishop. They respectfully greeted him and could not hide their joy at seeing their shepherd again. Suspicious, the mandarin accused them of harboring this missionary. Although the Bishop had actually stayed at Magistrate Kham’s house, he vaguely replied: “As Catholics, we revere and love any priest, even if we have never met them.”

After four and a half months in detention, one day the mandarin informed them they were sentenced to death by strangulation. Chief Thin asked what crimes they were convicted of, and the judge answered it was opposing the king. Chief Thin strongly objected. Finally, at his suggestion, the verdict was amended to add the four words "refusing to step over the Cross," meaning the crime of not stepping on the Cross. They rejoiced to be able to die for the Lord Jesus Christ. In the remaining days, they earnestly prepared spiritually to receive the grace of martyrdom.

The three witnesses of the faith deeply experienced the Lord’s blessing on those persecuted for His name. For them, being arrested, suffering humiliation and being killed for Jesus Christ was a great honor and blessing. They joyfully awaited that opportunity, while also encouraging and comforting other believers. And when they heard that the hour of execution had come, Magistrate Kham happily told everyone: “Today our father and children get to go to Heaven." All three were ready to leave this world to be reunited with the Holy Martyrs, opening their arms wide to receive the reward that the Lord had promised to His faithful ones.

On January 13, 1859, along with Magistrate Kham, Chief Ta and Chief Thin, seven other Catholic laypeople from Quan Cong village were also taken to the Bai Mau execution ground for execution. On the way there, they continuously prayed and recited the Rosary. Upon arrival, they continued to pray the Acts of Faith, Hope, Love and the Act of Contrition, crying out loud the name of Jesus. The soldiers violently pushed them backwards to the ground, then tied each person's hands and feet to stakes that had been prepared. Two soldiers held the ends of a rope passed around each person’s neck and pulled hard until death.

The Quan Cong parishioners brought back the bodies of the martyrs and buried them solemnly in their hometown. In 1951, Pope Pius XII beatified Magistrate Kham, Chief Ta and Chief Thin. On June 19, 2002, Pope John Paul II canonized them as Saints.