Saint Peter Doan Van Van was born in 1780 in the village of Ke Boi, Khe Song parish, Ha Nam province. He assisted Father Thi in the House of God and later was sent to the seminary.
In 1805, at the age of 25, Father Van received his preaching degree and was assigned to assist in two parishes, Bau No and No Luc. He lived a humble and gentle life, rich in compassion for the poor, and was nominated to manage the parish of Bau No.
Mr. Tuong and Mr. Huong, two influential figures in the village, spent all the village's money on gambling, squandering the taxes paid by the people. They went to the parish house to borrow rice from Father Van to repay their debts. Thinking that these two were too addicted to gambling, Father Van refused. This led them to harbor resentment and make false accusations against the priest, claiming that the village of Bau No harbored a rebel leader with a church and a temple.
The authorities led troops to surround and search the village but found no rebel leader. In the following days, Tuong and Huong intercepted Father Van on the road, arrested him, and accused him of being the rebel leader.
At the court, officials saw an old man nearly 80 years old and questioned whether he was the rebel leader. Father Van humbly replied, "Sir, I dare not falsely confess. I am just a preacher. If Your Excellency insists that I am the rebel leader, it is Your Excellency's decision, not mine."
Father Van was imprisoned in Lam Thao for four months, comforted by visits from believers, receiving sacraments from Father Nguyen, and receiving Holy Communion from Mr. Giap.
Emperor Minh Mang signed the death sentence for Father Van as "Giato rebel leader." Father Doan Van Van spent moments of silent prayer and was executed on May 25, 1857, at the Son Tay execution ground. His remains were buried in the church of the Bach Loc parish.
Father Peter Doan Van Van was raised to the rank of venerable on May 2, 1909, and canonized on June 19, 1988.