Chinese Martyrs

This feast day honors 120 martyrs who were canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000. They died between 1648 and 1930. Many were killed during the Boxer Rebellion from 1899 to 1901. This uprising resulted in much violence against foreign and Christian influences in China.

This is a very diverse group of martyrs and include men, women and children. The martyrs were clergy, members of religious orders, and lay people. Some were native Chinese and others were missionaries. They sought to spread the Catholic faith in China despite the risks. Their feast day is July 9 and they are the patron saints of China.

The stories of Gaetano Pollio, Dominic Tang, SJ, John LIao Shouji, and Leon Chan are told in The Diaries of the Chinese Martyrs.