Saint Pierre Dumoulin Borie – Cao: The Young Martyr Bishop for the Faith - The Saints Martyred for the Faith in Vietnam
Saint Pierre Dumoulin Borie – Cao was born on February 20, 1808, in France. His father passed away early, and although his mother could not bear to be parted from her son, she ultimately obeyed God's Holy Will, allowing him to pursue his religious vocation.

After being ordained as a deacon, Borie quietly prepared for his journey, leaving behind a heartfelt farewell letter for his mother and siblings, and set off to carry out his mission of preaching the Gospel. In 1830, he was ordained a priest and began his missionary journey to the Nghệ An region, part of the Western Đàng Ngoài Diocese, after a seven-month sea voyage.

Here, he quickly adapted to the local climate, culture, and language, and took the Vietnamese name Cao. Father Cao carried out apostolic work in the Bố Chính district, which had approximately 20,000 faithful. When King Minh Mạng issued the order banning the faith in 1833, Father Cao repeatedly had to go into hiding.

In 1838, due to a seminarian named Khang informing on him after being flogged, Father Cao was arrested at Xóm Trà, in the Mỹ Hảo parish. In prison, he remained calm, responded with sharp wit, and was ready to answer on behalf of the two Vietnamese priests, Father Điểm and Father Khoa, when they were interrogated. Father Cao became a firm spiritual pillar for them.

When the officials tempted him to step on the Holy Cross, Father Cao resolutely replied: "It is impossible, a hundred times no. As for me personally, Your Honors may do whatever they wish, but I ask that I alone be made to suffer; that is enough." The soldiers used many torturous punishments on him. Even in the dark prison, Father Cao maintained common prayer hours with Father Điểm and Father Khoa.

On July 31, 1838, at the age of 30, he was appointed Bishop of the Western Đàng Ngoài Diocese, but did not have time to receive the ordination ceremony. On November 18, 1838, King Minh Mạng ratified the beheading sentence. Upon receiving the death sentence, the Bishop prostrated himself to thank the officials for allowing him to die as a witness to his faith.

On November 24, 1838, Bishop Borie – Cao was beheaded at the Đồng Hới execution ground. In 1842, his remains were exhumed and brought back for veneration at the Paris Foreign Missions Society chapel.

Bishop Borie – Cao was raised to the rank of Blessed on May 27, 1900, and was canonized as a saint by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988.