Saint Alexius U Se-yŏng

Alexis U Se-yŏng (1845–March 11, 1866) was a Korean Catholic saint and martyr. Born in Sŏhŭng in the former Hwanghae Province, he was the third son of a wealthy noble family. As a teenager, he wished to become a Christian, but his father strongly opposed it. Consequently, U Se-yŏng fled to a remote village where Bishop Siméon Berneux was staying; the bishop personally baptized him in 1863, giving him the name Alexis. Upon returning home, Alexis was mistreated by his family. Later, with his father's consent, he moved to Seoul. Eventually, his entire family converted to Christianity, but due to the social climate at the time, they were forced to relocate to Nonjae. During the persecution of Catholics in Korea, Alexis U Se-yŏng was arrested in 1866. He was forced to renounce his faith and was subsequently released from prison in Pyongyang. He immediately regretted his actions, burned all his possessions, and went to see Bishop Berneux, who was then imprisoned in Seoul, to seek absolution. He was arrested again and subjected to torture, but this time he did not renounce his faith. He was executed by beheading on March 11, 1866, alongside Mark Chŏng Ŭi-bae at the execution site outside the Small West Gate in Seoul. His feast day is September 20, as part of the group of the 103 Korean Martyrs. He was beatified by Pope Paul VI on October 6, 1968, and canonized in Seoul by Pope John Paul II on May 6, 1984, as one of the 103 Korean Martyrs.