Saint Peter Vũ Đăng Khoa
Priest (1790 – 1838)
Feast Day: November 24
"I am a priest, a shepherd; how could I deny God, how could I abandon God?"
Saint Peter Vũ Đăng Khoa was born in 1790 in Thuận Nghĩa village, Diễn Châu prefecture, Quỳnh Lưu district, Nghệ An province. He was the third son in his family and from a young age showed intelligence, gentleness, and a desire for a religious life.
Initially, he assisted priests, then was sent to study at Vĩnh Trị Seminary before transferring to Hướng Phương Seminary. During his studies, he always maintained discipline, studied diligently, and cultivated virtue. After completing his studies, seminarian Khoa was sent to assist Father Nguyễn Đức Khiêm at Hướng Phương.
In 1820, Vũ Đăng Khoa was ordained a priest at Vĩnh Trị Seminary. For the next nine years, he served parishioners in parishes in Ninh Bình, Nghệ An, and Hà Tĩnh provinces. In 1829, Bishop Havard - Du appointed him as the parish priest of Kinh Nhuận parish (also called Cồn Dừa).
Father Khoa was known for his gentleness, dedication to his flock, and his straightforwardness, earning him everyone's respect. For over two years as parish priest, he often had to hide, staying in parishioners' homes and secretly visiting mission stations to serve, sometimes in the dark of stormy nights.
On July 2, 1838, Father Khoa was arrested at Lễ Sơn along with two catechists, Khang and Đức, after someone reported them. He was taken to the district office and then transferred to Đồng Hới provincial prison. The provincial judge tortured him repeatedly, but Father Khoa remained silent, revealing nothing.
Later, catechist Khang, out of fear and unable to endure the beatings, disclosed the hiding place of missionary Dumoulin Borie - Cao (Saint Joseph Marchand), elder Điểm, and seminarian Tự in Bình Chính district. On August 2, 1838, these individuals were arrested and imprisoned together with Father Khoa in Đồng Hới prison.
Father Peter Vũ Đăng Khoa was sentenced to death by strangulation and was martyred on November 24, 1838, at the execution grounds outside Đồng Hới citadel, under the reign of Emperor Minh Mạng. His remains were taken to the house of catechist Nguyên in Mỹ Hương village, Lệ Thủy, and then brought for burial at the Kẻ Gốm Mission House. Later, his remains were transferred to his hometown of Thuận Nghĩa.
Priest Peter Vũ Đăng Khoa was elevated to the rank of Blessed by Pope Leo XIII on May 27, 1900, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988.