Vietnamese Martyrs celebrated in diocese

The Vietnamese faithful of Storm Lake St. Mary Parish and Sioux City Cathedral Parish celebrated the feast of the Vietnamese Martyrs this month. The Vietnamese Martyrs are the patron saints of Vietnam. The feast day is Nov. 24.

Father Peter Pham, parochial vicar for Carroll St. John Paul II Parish, celebrated the Vietnamese Martyrs Mass in Storm Lake Nov. 17. After the Mass, Father Pham baptized an infant from the Vietnamese community.

A Vietnamese Martyrs Mass was celebrated by Father Peter Nguyen of Mater Dei Parish on Nov. 24 at St. Joseph Church, Cathedral Parish in Sioux City. Bishop Walker Nickless was present for the Mass and offered comments in English after the Mass, interpreted into Vietnamese by Father Nguyen.
Father Peter Pham with the Storm Lake Vietnamese communityThe bishop acknowledged sacrifice of the martyrs and the strong faith of the Vietnamese Catholics. He also thanked the Vietnamese community for their warm welcome of him and for their work in organizing the Mass. 

History
Christianity was introduced to the Vietnamese in the early 1500s but those early Christians were often persecuted for their faith. It is estimated that for over 250 years, between 130,000 and 300,000 followers of Christ were martyred in Vietnam due to political leaders’ anti-Christian views. Many were also tortured prior to their death.
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The feast of the Vietnamese Martyrs was established to honor those unnamed who died for their beliefs. Traditionally, 117 named martyrs who were killed in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries represent all who were martyred. The 117 include bishops, Dominican priests, diocesan priests and Catholic laity. Twenty-one of those killed were from Spain and France.
St. Andrew Dung-Lac and companions is another title for the group. He was a priest serving as a missionary who was tortured and then beheaded in 1839.
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Pope John Paul II canonized the 117 martyrs in 1988, comparing them to the persecuted early Christians.

Historical source: Catholic News Agency