1991 Documented reliquary theca with relics of 3 Martyrs of Vietnam: St. Joseph Hien, Vicente Liem de la Paz & St. Thomas Du
Round glass-fronted yellow-metal reliquary theca housing the first-class ex ossibus (of the bone) relics of three Martyrs of Vietnam: St. Joseph Hien, Vicente Liem de la Paz, and St. Thomas Du. The relics are affixed to a blue silk ground and identified in Latin on a typeset cedulae labels. On the back, under the protective cap, the theca is secured with a seal of red Spanish wax bearing an imprint of a coat of arms of The Order of Preachers, (commonly known as the Dominican Order), The relic is accompanied by the original matching authentics document issued in 1991 by the Postulator General of the Order responsible for the cause of beatification and canonization.
Saint Joseph Hien (Giuse Đỗ Quang Hiển) (†1840) was a Vietnamese Dominican priest and martyr. Born in Ninh Bình province, he joined the Order of Preachers, was ordained, and ministered during intense anti-Christian persecutions. After months in hiding, he was captured, refused to trample the cross, and endured torture while encouraging fellow Christians and converting pagans in prison. He was beheaded on May 9, 1840 under Emperor Minh Mạng. He was beatified on May 27, 1900, by Pope Leo XIII and canonized on June 19, 1988, by Pope John Paul II among the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs, his feast day is May 9 (or June 27 / November 24 with the group).
Saint Vicente Liem de la Paz (Vincent Liêm) (†1773) was a Vietnamese Dominican priest and the first native Vietnamese Dominican martyr. Born in Nam Định province, to Christian parents of the local nobility, he studied in the Philippines at Colegio de San Juan de Letran and the University of Santo Tomas. He entered the Order of Preachers in 1753, made profession in 1754, and was ordained in 1758. Returning to Tonkin as a missionary, he preached zealously until arrested with Spanish Dominican Jacinto Castañeda. Both were beheaded on November 7, 1773. He was beatified on May 20, 1906, by Pope Pius X and canonized on June 19, 1988, by Pope John Paul II among the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs, his feast day is November 7 (or November 24 with the group). He is patron of Vietnamese Dominicans and Letran students.
Saint Thomas Du (Tôma Đinh Viết Dụ) (†1839) was a Vietnamese Dominican priest and martyr. Born in Nam Định province, he trained at the Dominican seminary, entered the Order of Preachers around 1814, and was ordained a priest. During the persecution under Emperor Minh Mạng in 1839, his village was surrounded by soldiers searching for a hidden bishop; he was betrayed, arrested, and severely tortured for refusing to renounce his faith. He was beheaded on November 26, 1839, together with fellow Dominican Dominic Nguyễn Văn Xuyên. Beatified on May 27, 1900, by Pope Leo XIII and canonized on June 19, 1988, by Pope John Paul II among the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs, his feast day is November 26 (or November 24 with the group).