Antoine Daveluy Saint of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop, Missionary, Martyr Date of Birth: 16.03.1818 Country: France

1. Early Life and Education
2. Priestly Ordination and Missionary Call
3. Mission to Korea
4. Evangelization and Bishophood
5. Apostolic Administrator and Martyrdom
6. Beatification and Sainthood

Early Life and Education

Antoine Daveluy was born on February 17, 1818, into an aristocratic French family in the village of Ravières, France. His father was a factory owner and a member of the local council. At the tender age of nine, young Antoine began his education at a Jesuit school in 1827. Seven years later, in 1834, he entered the seminary to pursue his priestly vocation.

Priestly Ordination and Missionary Call

After completing his theological studies, Antoine Daveluy was ordained a priest in 1841. In October 1843, he joined the Paris Foreign Missions Society, a Catholic missionary organization dedicated to spreading the Gospel in the Far East.

Mission to Korea

In February 1844, Daveluy embarked on his missionary journey to Macau, where he spent six months preparing for his mission to Korea. Together with Fr. Andrew Kim Dae-gon, a Korean priest, he set foot on Korean soil in 1846.

Evangelization and Bishophood

With zeal and perseverance, Daveluy preached the Gospel, published Catholic literature in Korean, and compiled valuable historical records of the Catholic Church in Korea. His outstanding work earned him recognition from the Holy See, which authorized his appointment as Bishop of Korea in 1857.

Apostolic Administrator and Martyrdom

Following the martyrdom of Bishop Simon Berneux in 1866, Daveluy became the apostolic administrator of Korea. However, his ministry was cut short when he was arrested on March 11, 1866, for spreading Christianity. He was brutally tortured in prison.

On March 30, 1866, Bishop Antoine Daveluy was martyred along with Fr. Pierre Aumaitre and Fr. Martin Yen. Their unwavering faith and sacrifice became a beacon of light for the Korean Church.

Beatification and Sainthood

For his heroic witness and martyrdom, Antoine Daveluy was beatified by Pope Paul VI on October 6, 1968. On May 6, 1984, he was canonized a saint by Pope John Paul II together with 103 other Korean martyrs. The Catholic Church commemorates his feast day on September 20th.