Saint Joseph Hoang Luong Canh (1763 - 1838) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

Saint Joseph Hoang Luong Canh was born in 1763 in Van Village, now part of Bac Ninh city, but he lived in Tho Village, now belonging to Bac Giang province. He was a famous, kind medical practitioner, dedicated to his patients and often treating the poor for free.

Though living a family vocation, his days were woven with prayer and apostolic work. As the head of the Tho Ha parish, he joined the Third Order of Dominicans and baptized many people in danger of death, especially children.

At age 74, some jealous villagers, seeing the villagers' love for him, secretly accused him to the authorities of harboring religious objects and hiding a church leader. He was unaware of this. One day, he was invited to treat and baptize a baby. Though knowing it was very dangerous to go out during the religious persecution, driven by his desire to save souls, he decided to go. At the Tho Ha ferry, he was arrested by authorities, shackled, and imprisoned in Bac Ninh along with some priests and laypeople.

On July 12, 1838, upon seeing a crucifix in prison, he knelt to reverently kiss it. When pressured to renounce his faith, he firmly refused, saying "Though I may be beaten or killed, I am ready to suffer."

On September 5, 1838, he donned his Dominican habit, embraced the crucifix, and walked to the execution grounds. Despite his old age and frailty, he remained calm. He was beheaded at Co Me grounds, about 5km from the Bac Ninh Bishop's residence. His body was buried nearby. On the second night, Tho Ha parishioners exhumed his remains and reburied them in the parish church. Currently, his relics are kept at the Huong La church in the Bac Ninh Diocese.

He was beatified on May 27, 1900 and canonized a saint on June 19, 1988.