Saint Francis Regis Clet

Life story

Francis Regis Clet was born on 19 August 1748 in Grenoble, France, the tenth of fifteen children. He joined the Congregation of the Mission, the Vincentians, in 1769. After his ordination he worked in Annecy and Paris, many years at a seminary.

He sailed for China in 1791. During more than thirty years there he preached and looked after communities in the provinces of Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan. Toward the end of the 1810s he was betrayed by a member of the Christian community, then arrested, chained and tortured.

He was transferred to Kaifeng for about a month and then taken to Wuchang. Sentenced to death for corrupting the emperor's subjects, he was led to the execution ground, tied to a cross-shaped wooden frame and strangled with a rope on 17 February 1820. Christians recovered his remains. Pope Leo XIII beatified him on 27 May 1900, and Pope John Paul II canonized him on 1 October 2000.

Works and witness

• Joined the Vincentians in 1769
• Worked at Annecy and Paris, many years at a seminary
• Missionary in Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan for over thirty years
• Arrested and moved to Kaifeng, then Wuchang
• Strangled at Wuchang on 17 February 1820

Saints from the same country

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Francis de Sales

References

• Holy See, list of the Martyrs of China canonized 1 October 2000 (vatican.va, ns_lit_doc_20001001_zhao-rong-compagni_en) – embarked 1791, thirty years in Jiangxi, Hubei and Hunan, betrayed, strangled 17 February 1820
• Vincentian Family (famvin.org), “St. Francis Regis Clet, C.M.” – birth and family, Annecy and Paris; page not retrievable, read only via search excerpts

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.