In Montperreux, the Vietnamese sisters told us, on Mission Sunday, 22 October,
“we had the joy of participating in the Mass in memory of the martyrs from Franche-Comté in Vietnam. Around 150 people attended, including three priests, two deacons, the parishioners of the village of Montperreux and the Vietnamese community”.
He who sows in tears reaps in joy – Psalm 125
“It was a great joy to set foot in this place of origin, where Father Isidore Gagelin grew in faith, before leaving his homeland for our country, Vietnam. In remembering the martyrs, we recognise that without the blood of the martyrs shed in our land, Vietnam, we would not be what we are today. It is they who passed on to us faith in the risen Christ; they are our pride, they still live in the heart of every Vietnamese believer, and we firmly believe that they will always sustain us in our faith. Warm thanks to the priests and parishioners of Montperreux for allowing us to participate in this beautiful Eucharistic celebration in a spirit of joy and sharing”.
sister Son, sister Giaio, sister Kim
Vietnamese Sisters in Besançon
Among the many Vietnamese martyrs, 117 people executed for their faith were canonised together by Pope John Paul II on 19 June 1888.
- -96 Vietnamese, including one woman
- 11 Spanish
- 10 French
Among these French, 3 martyrs, originally from Franche-Comté, were members of the Paris Foreign Missions.
- Etienne-Théodore CUENOT, originally from Bélieu.
- Isidore GAGELIN, from Montperreux
- Joseph MARCHAND, from Passavant
Another martyr, Pierre François Neron, came from the neighbouring department of Jura.
In the diocese of Besançon, their feast day is celebrated on 21 October each year.
