Saint Joseph Nguyen Van Luu (1790 - 1854) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

Saint Joseph Nguyen Van Luu was born in 1790 in Cai Nhum village, Cho Lach district, Vinh Long province, into a devout Catholic family who fervently worshipped God. Due to difficult circumstances, at the age of 10, he and his four siblings followed their parents to a new land, eventually settling in Mac Bac.

In his youth, he sometimes liked to play but as he grew older, he corrected his behavior. He got married and had 7 children, living a virtuous life and diligently practicing his faith.

He was trusted to be elected as the Village Chief of Mac Bac. With his calm, patient, and forgiving character, he had the ability to resolve conflicts in the village and parish. Moreover, in his capacity as Village Chief, he often arranged hiding places for missionaries and priests during the periods of persecution against Catholics.

In March 1851, King Tu Duc issued a stricter decree banning Catholicism. At this time, Father Philipp Phan Van Minh came to replace Father Peter Nguyen Van Luu as the parish priest of Mac Bac. In the parish, there were some people addicted to gambling and drinking who wanted reward money, so they reported to the provincial authorities that Mac Bac was sheltering the head of Catholics.

On the night of February 26, 1853, government troops surrounded and searched his house. He and his wife were tortured but remained calm and courageous, not revealing where the priests were hiding. Father Philipp Minh, who was hiding in a carriage trunk, seeing everyone suffering, turned himself in and admitted to being the parish priest. The authorities ordered him, his wife, children and everyone to be shackled, tied up and taken to Vinh Long province for detention.

In prison, he was brutally tortured but remained steadfast. Due to his old age, frail health, wounds and illness, he passed away on May 2, 1854. His body was brought back and buried in the grounds of the recently destroyed Mac Bac church.

Joseph Nguyen Van Luu was beatified on May 2, 1909 and canonized on June 19, 1988.