Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

The Martyr Saints of China were 120 Chinese Catholics killed between 1648 and 1930. Throughout these nearly 300 years, Catholicism went through periods of legality and illegality in China, forcing the Church to frequently operate in secret. Many Catholics were killed because of their active faith, with 87 of the 120 being from China, and 33 being missionaries. Among the group of martyrs were people from all walks of life, including priests, children, parents, teachers, farmers, and other workers, all with an incredible witness to the faith. The martyrs were beatified in groups in the 20th century, but all 120 martyrs were canonized together by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000.