Saint Laurenso Nguyen Van Huong (1802 - 1856) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

Saint Laurenso Nguyen Van Huong was born in 1802 in Ke Sai village, Tuy Hien commune, Hoai Yen district, Diocese of Ha Noi in a poor family. His parents died early, and he had to herd buffaloes for his uncle named Thang who loved and protected him dearly. At the age of 12, the boy went to meet Father Tuan. Seeing the boy's difficult circumstances, Father Tuan took him to the parish house and kindly nurtured and taught him Chinese characters for 3 years. Afterwards, the priest sent him to study at the Vinh Tri Seminary.

After graduating from the seminary, Laurenso Huong was invited to join the preachers, collaborating with Father Duyet at the Bac Bat parish in Ninh Binh. Wherever he went, he lived simply, humbly and wholeheartedly for the poor parishioners.

In 1855, while on his way to administer the sacraments, Father Huong was arrested. Faced with his dignified manner, the provincial governor gave him a condition: "If you step on the Cross, I will spare your life and allow you to become a monk at the Non Nuoc Pagoda." Father Huong politely refused. The governor then asked him to recite Catholic prayers, and he immediately raised his voice to recite the Ten Commandments of God.

The governor was still not satisfied and continued to question the bad rumors about Catholicism. Father Huong calmly explained and clarified the truth for the governor's understanding. After many failed attempts to force Father Huong to renounce his faith, the officials decided to send a request to the capital for permission to execute him. At dawn on April 27, 1856, the death sentence was carried out in Ninh Binh under the Tu Duc reign. The congregation later brought his remains to be buried in Vinh Tri village.

The martyr Laurenso Nguyen Van Huong was beatified by the Church on May 2, 1909, and canonized a Saint on June 19, 1988.