Saint Toma Ngo Tuc Khuong (1780 - 1860) - Vietnamese Martyr Saint

Saint Toma Ngo Tuc Khuong was born in 1780 in Nam Hoa village, Tien Chu district, Hung Yen province. His father held the position of a wealthy and powerful provincial governor in Hung Yen, but young Khuong only wished to dedicate himself to God.

After being ordained as a priest in an unspecified year, Father Khuong joined the Third Order of St. Dominic. He was a wise, holy, and kind pastor, dedicated to his missionary work, skillful in social interactions but resolute in his actions. He had great devotion to the Rosary and passionately promoted this pious practice.

During the period of Catholic persecution, Father Khuong continued to quietly carry out his pastoral duties, administering sacraments to the faithful thanks to his skillful communication with officials.

In 1859, a small number of Catholics in Cao Xa organized an armed resistance to defend themselves against attacks by imperial soldiers on Catholic villages. Father Khuong did not support this action, so he fled to Hai Phong, which belonged to the Eastern Vicariate.

While fleeing to the bridge of Tran Xa village, Father Khuong was arrested for resolutely refusing to step on a cross. He was imprisoned along with some accompanying believers.

The governor tried every way to force him to testify against the Cao Xa Catholics who opposed the imperial court, but he steadfastly refused to testify and said: "The Catholic faith not only forbids believers from opposing the imperial court but also encourages them to pray and contribute to building a secure and prosperous homeland."

The governor changed tactics and asked the father to encourage the faithful to step on holy images and renounce their faith in order to be freed and reunited with their families. Father resolutely replied: "I am now 80 years old. As a Catholic leader, I have always advised the faithful to remain loyal to the Holy Faith. Now, if I were to advise them to renounce their faith, I would be truly unworthy and undeserving of being a religious leader."

The execution sentence for Father Ngo Tuc Khuong was carried out on January 30, 1860, outside Hung Yen city. On the way to the execution ground, he used a bamboo cane but tied a short crosspiece to the top, forming a cross. Upon arriving at the execution site, he knelt down to pray and bowed his head to receive the executioner's sword.

Father Toma Ngo Tuc Khuong was beatified on April 29, 1951, and canonized as a saint on June 19, 1988.