by Rev. M. B. Cothonay, O.P., 1911
At the opening of the year
1745 the rumor was still more prevalent among the Christians of Hanoi that the
King had commuted the death penalty of the two missionaries to imprisonment for
life. Father Gil did not believe it. On the contrary he was firmly convinced
that the hour of his martyrdom was approaching, basing his belief on the fact that
his confrere had received a notification of this commutation whereas he had
not. In fact he knew on the 19th of January from the Christian
Nguyen Xuyen who loved him much, that the final sentence had been pronounced
against him. This Christian had been warned beforehand by Thay-Khoa, the secretary.
On the 21st the sentence was made public and announced to the confessor of the
faith. The execution was to take place on the following day. At last he was to
seize the glorious crown which for eight years had eluded his grasp. However,
the Christians who loved him so tenderly made a last attempt to deprive him of
it. They were inconsolable when they heard that their Father was to be beheaded
on the following day. On the very evening of the 21st, the leading
Christians sent a deputation to the King's uncle offering him an immense amount
of money if he would vouchsafe to intercede with the King, his nephew to have
him recall the sentence of death. When Father Gil heard this he was much
afflicted. He despatched his catechist to the honorable gentlemen with the
following message: “We exhort the pagans to be converted and once converted to suffer
every torment rather than to lose the faith. If in the present circumstances
they see that we show any weakness by refusing to die for the faith or by
consenting to escape this sentence; if they see that we purchase our life, at
the price of money, the infidels will be confirmed in their paganism and the
Christians will no longer be eager to suffer for the faith. For these reasons,
my beloved sons, I command you to lay aside your project for I shall never
consent to give even the smallest piece of money to ransom my life.”
The Christians bowed to
the strong will of their teacher as thus expressed, and awaited with sorrowful
resignation the moment of his martyrdom.
From the moment that
Blessed Gil heard the good news, his soul was filled with an overwhelming joy
which was reflected in his countenance. In his humility he addressed the
following words to the Christians who came to see him and to ask a last
blessing: “Beg of God that the great favor which he grants me may not be for me a
cause of pride. Ask him to make me firm and joyful up to the moment when I shall
shed my blood for Our Lord Jesus Christ.” Then he thanked them
profusely for all the services they had rendered to him, comforted them, gave
them his blessing and, with touching sweetness and affection asked them to meet
him in the bosom of God.
All were in tears except
himself, and like a father saying a last farewell to his children, he spoke tenderly
to them, reassuring them and promising that as soon as he should reach heaven
he would be more useful to them than at present. The moments when he was left to
himself during this day were spent in prayer and contemplation. When evening was
come he expressed a wish to assemble his best beloved disciples at his own
table and as though it were a day of great joy, he consented to eat an omelet
which he had not done for a long time, so great was his abstinence. During this
last supper, therefore, he rejoiced with a holy joy together with his confrere,
Father Liciniana and his Christians. Then he said grace and asked them to
recite for the last time with him and for him the holy rosary. Then seating himself
again and making a sign to them to do the same, he said to them: “My
dear children, at this moment I think of myself as like Our Lord at the last
supper, and so I would exhort you after the example of Christ my Master, to
love one another as brothers, to remain firm in the faith which you profess,
ready to suffer in its defense every kind of torment, to put all your hope in
God and to sigh for that everlasting life which we await and to despise the goods
of this life which are so fleeting.” He then repeated his thanks for
all that they had done and suffered for him during these eight years. As all
then broke forth into sobs, he who up to this time was so composed of countenance,
began also to feel his emotion getting the better of him, and he wept with the
others, so that for a considerable space of time he was unable to proceed.
He was going to withdraw
to prepare himself for the great day of his triumph, but the sobs and entreaties
of his Christians retained him. They threw themselves at his feet and said: “Father, you will not refuse to let us kiss
your chains.” Restraining them with difficulty he replied: “Oh
my children, you know that I have never permitted that; but at this supreme moment
I have not the courage to deny you this consolation.” Scarcely had he
said this when the first to fall at his feet to kiss his chains was his fellow
prisoner, Blessed Liciniana. Father Gil wished to prevent him but the look of
entreaty which he encountered caused him to let him have his way. After him all
satisfied their devotion while Blessed Gil absorbed in God said: “Oh my
children, what a great grace martyrdom is, but it is a pure gift of the divine
goodness. No man could merit it and certainly not I.” He then retired
into the corner of the prison which had been assigned to him as his dwelling,
and began to pray in preparation for the great day.
About three o'clock in the
morning the two prisoners of Christ heard each other's confession, assisted
each other to celebrate Mass for the last time. It may be easily imagined with
what ardent love and fervor they received into their hearts Him for whose cause
they were soon to shed their blood.
After making their
thanksgiving they went together to bid farewell to the prisoners, to the
jailers and to all whose acquaintance they had made during their sad stay in
the prison. Blessed Gil, with a smile on his lips, had a word of encouragement and
of thanks for all. He distributed among the poorest of them the remains of his
food and money.
A great number of people
had assembled outside of the prison to pay their last tribute of respect to their
spiritual Father. He allowed them to enter, and for some moments addressed
them, exhorting them to persevere and telling them to meet him in heaven. All
were sobbing; he alone was calm and smiling. He could not, however, conceal his
emotion in saying farewell to Rosa Gao, the holy woman, his convert, who even
before her baptism had rendered him so great service. Clad in the habit of his
Order in which he wished to die, and chained like a common malefactor, he then
awaited the coming of the King's executioners to lead him out to his death.
Then a very touching scene
ensued. Father Liciniana who was inconsolable at not having been deemed worthy
of sharing the lot of his companion, begged the mandarin of the prison to at
least permit him to accompany him to the place of punishment. This favor was
granted. Custom required that all who were condemned should on their way to
death pass before the King's palace to make a last appeal for pardon, if they
so desired. Some Christians, eager to make one last effort in favor of Father
Gil, entrusted to Father Liciniana a petition asking for the pardon of those
condemned to death. The Father was to present it to the King as they passed in front
of the palace. Father Gil hearing of this design at the last moment, disapproved
of it and mildly reproached his confrere. The latter replied that he could not
do otherwise than to accept it but he was not disturbed about it since he had
no hope of its success.
The attendants whose duty
it was to escort him to the place of execution came shortly before noon. They
tied his hands behind his back. He was bound with a chain which after
encircling his neck, separated at the hips into two parts which descended to
the feet where they were fastened with a bolt. As he was also bound with ropes
it was very difficult for him to walk. Eight common criminals had been held in
reserve, doubtless to add infamy to the punishment of the servant of God. He
walked at the head of this funeral procession as though he were the greatest
criminal of all. As they were on their way from the prison to the palace it
rained heavily and he was drenched to the skin. While they were presenting the
petitions to the King, he was so faint from fatigue that he sat down on a stone.
At that moment one of the eight condemned men went to him and telling him that
he was a Christian asked him to hear his confession. This he did, thus
exercising his ministry of reconciliation to the very end. Father Liciniana was
nearby clad in Annamite rags. Just then a eunuch came up to ridicule and insult
them. He threw at their feet several small crosses made of bamboo. These they quietly
picked up, kissed and detached the cross pieces. These insults which had filled
their souls with sadness, were succeeded by an event which consoled them
immensely.
The King, extremely angry
at the audacity of Father Liciniana in presenting a petition for the pardon of
his companion condemned him also to be beheaded. When this news was brought to
them the two confessors of the faith were at first surprised, but soon they
blessed God and thanked Him effusively for the favor of shedding their blood together
for the faith and of triumphantly entering into glory together. The multitude
who surrounded them, three-fourths of whom were Christians, broke out into
heart-rending sobs on learning that they were about to be deprived of both of
their devoted spiritual fathers.
Some time after mid-day
the funeral procession began its march to the place of execution which contemporaneous
documents call Quan-Bac-Dau-Mo. On reaching the place the two confessors kissed
the ground which was so soon to be watered by their blood. Blessed Gil was so
weakened that he sat down while they were making the preparations necessary for
the execution. Bowing his head he appeared to be absorbed in profound contemplation
and heeded not the insults of the pagans who even then continued to put foolish
questions to the martyrs and to shower them with little crosses.
The supreme moment had
come. The two sons of Dominic mutually absolved each other. They caused a
ligature of sapeques to be
distributed among their executioners. Though they were surrounded by a crowd of
several thousand persons, the most absolute silence prevailed. Suddenly a royal
guard in a fine new uniform approached Blessed Gil and said in a loud voice: “Cu Te, I have the greatest respect for you,
and it gives me great pain to have to do to you that which the judge commands
me; but you see that I cannot do otherwise. I beg of you to be seated properly
and to hold your body erect in order that I may tie you easily.” From the
voice and gestures of Blessed Gil he understood that he was grateful for his kind
sentiments and he calmly allowed himself to be tied to a stake.
The chains and cords were
removed and, at a given signal, the two executioners with a single stroke
severed the heads of the two martyrs. This was about four o'clock in the
afternoon of Friday, the 22nd of January, 1745.
As their souls ascended to
glory a cry of intense grief broke forth from hundreds of Christian lips: “Oh Fathers of our souls!
Oh beloved Fathers!” And many were heard to give vent to their sorrow in heart rending sobs. When
criminals are executed in Tonkin, it is customary for all to run away as soon
as the head falls, through a fear that the souls of malefactors have power to
harm those whom they may catch. On this occasion nothing of the kind took
place. Not one took to flight. On the contrary, the Christians, overcoming
their fear of the soldiers and the mandarins pressed forward in crowds to get
possession of the chains, the cords or some pieces of the garments of the martyrs.
They carried away the grass and earth saturated with their blood and the soldiers
offered no opposition.
The priests, the catechists
and the leading citizens of Hanoi had given a large sum of money to the mandarin
who was to preside at the execution to ensure the preservation of the martyrs'
remains from outrage and to have them handed over as soon as possible. This,
however, was unnecessary. Not only did the Christians get possession of the greatest
part of their clothing, but one of them even succeeded in carrying off the head
of Blessed Liciniana. An old sorcerer got possession of the head of Blesed Gil
and was running off with it concealed under his clothing. But he was seen by a
Christian who pursued him and wrested this treasure from him by force. In the
evening of that day the two venerated heads were placed in the hands of Peter
Xavier, a native priest, who after having washed and venerated them, deposited
them in a place of honor.
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