By LiCAS.news
THE Catholic Church in Vietnam is set to celebrate the beatification of its first 20th-century martyr, Fr Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep.
Pope Francis, during an audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, authorized the promulgation of a decree recognizing Fr Diep’s martyrdom, marking a significant milestone for the Church in Vietnam.
Fr Diep, a diocesan priest born in 1897 in the province of An Giang, was martyred in 1946 during the turbulent period of the first Vietnam War.
His cause for beatification, officially launched in 2012, represents an important acknowledgment of the faith and sacrifices of Vietnamese Catholics, especially during the 20th century, when the Church faced wars and persecutions, according to a report by AsiaNews.
The announcement came as Vietnam celebrates the liturgical feast of its martyr saints, including the 117 figures led by Fr Andrea Dung Lac, canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1990.
Their feast, typically on Nov 24, was observed this year on Nov 25 due to the solemnity of Christ the King.
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