dominican saints
Bl. Francis Serrano Frias and
Bl. Francias Diaz del Rancon, M.M.O.P.
Feast Day October 20th
Blessed Francis Serrano & Francis Diaz OP MM (AC) Born in Spain; died 1748; beatified by Leo XIII in 1893. These Spanish born, Dominican missionaries were sent to Fo-Kien, China. After 20 years of work in China (now Vietnam), Serrano had been arrested with Blessed Bishop Peter Sanz in 1646. While in prison he was elected titular bishop of Tipasa after the beheading of Sanz on May 25, 1747. Serrano was a resourceful, careful person, which one would have to be to survive in such harsh conditions. He became adept at scaling walls and hiding in unlikely places.
Fathers Alcober, Serrano, and Diaz were captured and tortured to reveal the whereabouts of Bishop Sanz. Despite horrendous punishment, they refused to say anything. Father Joachim Royo and Bishop Sanz, wishing to spare his brothers further suffering, surrendered themselves to the authorities.
BL. FRANCIS SERRANO FRIAS, M.O.P.
Dominican Bishop-Elect
Born: December 4, 1695 in Hueneja, Granada, Spain
Died: October 28, 1748.
Beatified: May 14, 1893 by Pope Leo XIII
Francis was born on December 4, 1695, in Hueneja, Granada (Spain) to Francis Serrano and Mary Frías. He received the Dominican habit in the Priory of the Holy Cross in Granada. As a novice, he showed extraordinary signs of holiness and was
a model of virtue. His zeal for the salvation of souls moved him to join the group of thirty-three missionaries who were leaving Cádiz for the Far East on July 15, 1725. Among the group was Father John Alcober.
The group remained in Mexico for sixteen months before leaving for Manila in 1727. Shortly afterward, Francis was assigned to Fukien. Fathers Serrano and Alcober disguised themselves as peasants in order to enter the town. Francis faced many difficulties in his evangelization campaign; these served as preparation for martyrdom.
Besides being gifted with a tremendous vitality for virtue, Francis Serrano possessed the great courage of Spanish blood in the face of cruel persecutions and continual hardships. Though he had to hide constantly, he bravely dedicated the best period of his life to serving the Lord in that desolate vineyard. In 1729, persecution intensified. Disguised as a peasant, Francis crossed forests and rivers by night to administer the Sacraments to his flock and to encourage everyone. He baptized many Chinese during this time.
On November 1, 1729, the fury of the persecution reached the city of Fogan where
Father Serrano and four other missionaries were staying. Much suffering befell the Christians and missionaries. Officials confiscated their crosses, rosaries, sacred vestments, chalices, books and wine for the Mass. Whatever could be withheld and saved was buried. In order to mislead the enemies, some Christians dug holes in which the priests could remain hidden. Only the love of God and for souls gave them the supernatural strength to withstand such dangers and not yield to fear.
On June 26, 1746, the Viceroy of Fukien, informed of the presence of the missionaries, arrived in Fogan with 200 soldiers. On 29 June, Fathers Serrano and Díaz fell into their hands.
Father Serrano was punished with 20 slaps of a leather strop. Weighed down with
chains and surrounded by hired ruffians, he was taken to Fuchow on 5 July 1746. Awaiting him were interminable questionings, cruel torments, prisons of horror and misery for 28 months. Questioned about the bones of Father Capillas, Serrano was subjected to so many slaps on the face that he was left with a damaged ear. It is but right to mention that all 23 Christians who were apprehended at the same time defended the missionaries, especially the valiant and virtuous Lay Dominican Teresa Chin. During his imprisonment, Father Serrano was named Bishop of Fukien by Pope Benedict XIV. Unfortunately, it was not possible for him to be consecrated.
On the night of October 28, 1748, the executioners suffocated Father Serrano with a mixture of lime, paper, alcohol and wine. That same night, they took his body to the cemetery where they incinerated it in the crematory. Afterward, his ashes and bones were thrown into the common pit. Some days later, the Christians learned of his death and succeeded in bribing the bailiffs to allows them to retrieve his remains. Paul Chin Ul-Yuen and Father John Fung of St. Mary went to the ossuary and found the remains half burned and still damp. The neck, head and heart remained incorrupt for 27 days. The rest of the bones were dry and molded. They were taken to the home of Benedict LY where they were buried. Father Serrano was 52 years old and had spent 21 years in the apostolate to his beloved Chinese.
At first, Serrano’s relics were kept in the home of Simon Yuen and later in the home of Lucy Van. From there, they were taken by Father John Fung and placed in six tin boxes, divided as follows: the heart, bones, chains and a padlock, handcuffs, valise, 2 Bishop’s caps. Some were sent to St. Dominic’s in Manila and some to Rome.
Francis Serrano Frías was beatified on May 14, 1893 by Pope Leo XIII.
Witnesses of the Faith in the Orient, Dominican Martyrs of Japan, China, and Vietnam.
BL. FRANCIS DIAZ DEL RINCON, M.O.P.
Dominican PRIEST
Born: October 2, 1713 in Ecija, Seville, Spain
Died: October 28, 1748.
Beatified: May 14, 1893 by Pope Leo XIII
Francis Díaz was the youngest of the five missionary martyrs. He was born in Ecija, Seville (Spain) on October 2, 1713, to John Díaz Fernández and Elizabeth Mary Rico. He was baptized on October 13, 1713, receiving the names Francis Augustine Angel.
When he was still a child, Francis told his father that he wanted to go to China to preach the Gospel and to be a martyr for Christ. He took the Dominican habit in the Priory of St. Dominic and St. Paul in Ecija, where he was professed on September 12, 1731.
Francis happily arrived in Manila in November 1736. Although he was sickly and naturally delicate, his fervor was exemplary. Once he was ordained, the Superiors did not hesitate to grant his wishes and incessant supplications to preach the Gospel in the Great Celestial Empire. In 1738, Francis arrived in Macao where providentially he met Father Peter Sanz; the two of them set out for the Mission of Fogan.
The young missionary was ready to begin his apostolate at once. The Superior of the mission, Father Joachim Royo, asked Francis to go to Ki-Tung and the neighboring towns to administer the Sacraments. Soon, Francis was left completely alone in that mission. He suffered so much anguish and bitterness that he went in search of Father Serrano who greatly consoled and helped him. Because Francis was also tormented by scruples, the Vicar Provincial gave him permission to return to Manila. He was not happy with this because he had always dreamed of martyrdom for Christ. He placed himself in the hands of the Blessed Virgin. Through continual prayer all the spiritual darkness left him; even his physical health improved.
Father Royo wrote in a letter of 1745: “Father Díaz’s health is poor, but it is because of his apostolic zeal. He hears confessions until very late, gives Holy Communion, maintains a recollected spirit, and has the greatest horror of the least sin of which he may be guilty. Nothing is too hard when the care of souls calls him. Both pagans and Christians admire his simplicity and honesty.” Father Alcober said of him: “Father Díaz has four towns under his care, with another four oratories in the homes of some Christians. He has baptized 12 adults and 74 children. He has given Communion to thousands and converted 15 and has given Extreme Unction to eleven.”
On June 26, 1746, two hundred soldiers led by the Commissioner of Fogan and the Viceroy of Fukien arrived in Moyang where Fathers Serrano and Díaz were reported to be. Five days earlier, however, the priests had gone to Ki-Tung. When the soldiers did not find the priests, they ransacked their house taking vestments, books and all that was in it. A Christian had warned them of the approaching danger. The priests were immediately hidden under the floorboards of a friend’s room. Not having found the priests, the government soldiers returned to Fogan taking some Christian women with them to torture until they revealed the priests’ hiding place. But the women preferred to suffer rather than expose the priests.
In Ki-Tung, another brave Christian hid the two priests between two walls. On the night of June 29, 1746, soldiers came to the house looking for them because an apostate named Nicholas had told them that the priests were hidden in that house. They began to tear up and destroy everything. They did not stop until they had torn every wall down and found the priests. They put iron chains around their necks and took them at midnight to the Captain in Fogan. Father Díaz suffered the terrible torture of crushed ankles. The priests were then taken to the prison where they were shackled and chained together by their feet. One torture followed after the other. The victims were frequently molested, slapped and burned on the face with hot irons.
Finally, Father Díaz was taken out of prison and strangled. His remains were incinerated and thrown into the ossuary. Some of the brave Christians retrieved the remains of the martyr. Martyred at midnight on October 28, 1748, Francis Díaz was beatified by Pope Leo XIII on May 14, 1893.
Prayers/Commemorations
First Vespers:
Ant. The souls of the Saints who followed in the footsteps of Christ rejoice in heaven: and because for love of Him they poured out their blood, therefore shall they reign forever with Christ.
V. Pray for us, Blessed Francis Serrano & Francis Diaz.
R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
Lauds:
Ant. The souls of the Saints, who for love of God despised the threats of men: the holy Martyrs triumph with the angels in the kingdom of heaven. O how precious is the death of the Saints, who constantly assist before the Lord and are not separated one from another!
V. Wonderful is God
R. In His Saints
Second Vespers:
Ant. God will wipe every tear from the eyes of the Saints: and mourning there will be no more, neither weeping nor any sorrow because the former things have passed away.
V. Pray for us, Blessed Francis Serrano & Francis Diaz.
R. That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
Prayer
Let us Pray: O God, who dost rejoice us with the triumph of Blessed Francis Serrano & Francis Diaz, grant us, we beseech Thee, by their merits and intercession, like constancy in faith and efficacy in action. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.