A Vietnamese court official and married layman, martyred in 1857 for his Catholic faith under Emperor Tự Đức’s persecution.

Saint Micae Hô Đình Hy was a married Vietnamese layman who served as director of the imperial silk industry at the court of Emperor Tự Đức, martyred in 1857 for refusing to abandon his Catholic faith. His prominent position made his continued profession of belief especially conspicuous, leading to his arrest, torture, and execution. Beatified in 1909, he was canonized in 1988 by Pope John Paul II as one of the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs, whose common feast is kept on November 24.

Quick Facts

• Died: May 22, 1857, at An Hòa, Quảng Nam, Vietnam, aged about 48
• Beatified: 1909
• Canonized: 1988, by Pope John Paul II
• Venerated as: Married layman and martyr, one of the Vietnamese Martyrs

Who Was Saint Micae Hô Đình Hy?

Micae Hô Đình Hy was a married Vietnamese layman and government official who served as director of the imperial silk industry under the court of Emperor Tự Đức, and who was martyred in 1857 for his Catholic faith during one of the periodic waves of anti-Christian persecution in nineteenth-century Vietnam.

Historical Setting

Vietnamese emperors of the nineteenth century, wary of foreign influence arriving through Catholic missionaries and their converts, issued repeated edicts against Christianity, and Hô Đình Hy’s position at court made his continued profession of faith especially conspicuous and dangerous, ultimately leading to his arrest, torture, and execution.

Why the Church Remembers Saint Micae Hô Đình Hy

The Church remembers Micae Hô Đình Hy as a rare example of a high-ranking Vietnamese court official who refused to abandon his faith despite the professional risk it posed, joining the great company of the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs canonized together in 1988.

Canonization and Feast Day

Micae Hô Đình Hy was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1988 by Pope John Paul II as part of the group of 117 Vietnamese Martyrs, whose shared feast is kept on November 24.

What Catholics Can Learn Today

Hô Đình Hy’s story shows that social prominence and professional success offer no exemption from the demands of faith, and that holding a position of influence can, in fact, make quiet compromise more tempting and public fidelity all the more significant.

A Prayer to Saint Micae Hô Đình Hy

Saint Micae Hô Đình Hy, faithful husband and official who would not trade Christ for the safety of your position, intercede for Catholics today who hold positions of public responsibility. Give them your courage to remain faithful even when it costs them everything. Amen.

Sources

• Vatican.va, canonization records for the Martyrs of Vietnam (John Paul II, 1988)
• Butler’s Lives of the Saints
• EWTN, entry on the Vietnamese Martyrs