December 16
José Thao Tiên and 16 fellow martyrs of Laos (+1954–1970)
Martyrs
Practical advice
Help today with prayer or resources to a small Christian community that must maintain faith in the midst of isolation.
Biography
Seventeen priests, missionaries, catechists and lay people gave rise to the Church of Laos through their fidelity in years of war and persecution. The group is led by José Thao Tiên, the first martyred Laotian priest, who refused to abandon his people and died in 1954 after imprisonment and hard labor. His companions belonged to the Paris Foreign Missions, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and local communities. Between 1954 and 1970 they were murdered for remaining with Christians, catechizing, caring for the sick and defending the poor. None participated in armed political activities.
Example of
FortitudeFaithfulnessSacrifice