Sts. Peter Hong Pyong-ju and Paul Hong Yong-ju

Peter Hong Pyong-ju, of Yo-sa-ol, Korea, served as a devoted lay catechist, an apostolate he shared with his younger brother, Paul Hong Yong-ju. In addition to the religious instruction of catechumens, Peter and Paul also gave their time to the care of the sick. During a renewal of persecution against Korea’s Christians in 1839, the two provided safe refuge to missionary priests. The pagan officials resolved to find and apprehend Peter and Paul. Following their arrest, the two bothers were interrogated under torture, but remained steadfast in refusing to apostatize and in refusing to betray their fellow Catholics. Imprisoned murderers also participated in the torture of Peter and Paul. On January 31, 1840, Peter, forty-two years old, was beheaded. A day later, on February 1, Paul suffered the same fate at the age of thirty-nine.