St. Jean Gabriel Perboyre
Priest, Martyr in China - Optional Memorial
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
Saint Jean Gabriel Perboyre, Martyr in China
Jean Gabriel Perboyre was born on January 5, 1802, in Puech, near Montgesty, France, the eldest of eight children in a devout farming family. Guided by the example of his priest-uncle, he grew up with a strong faith and a desire to serve Christ. Recognized early for his intelligence and devotion, he entered the Congregation of the Mission in 1818 and was ordained a priest in Paris in 1826.
Though frail in health, he felt a burning call to the missions in China. In March 1835, he departed for the East and arrived in Macao in August of that year. Sent to Ho-Nan province, he devoted himself to pastoral ministry under constant threat of persecution.
In September 1839, he was betrayed, arrested, and subjected to months of torture. On September 11, 1840, Jean Gabriel was executed by being tied to a cross and strangled with a rope, offering his life as a witness to the Gospel. At the moment of his death, witnesses reported seeing a luminous cross in the sky—a sign of his faithful witness.
He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1889 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 2, 1996. His feast is celebrated on September 11.
Prayers of the Faithful
