Saint Gabriel-Taurin Dufresse

Life story

Gabriel Taurin Dufresse was born on 8 December 1750 at Lezoux, France. He joined the Paris Foreign Missions Society in 1774 and was sent to China in 1775. A persecution in late 1784 led to his arrest in early 1785; he was taken to Beijing and then expelled from his mission.

He returned to Sichuan secretly in 1789. In 1800 he was consecrated a bishop and became vicar apostolic of Sichuan. In 1803 he presided over a synod in Sichuan which several sources regard as the first of its kind in the Chinese Church.

On 18 May 1815 he was arrested, by one account betrayed by a native Christian, and taken to Chengdu. He was condemned and beheaded on 14 September 1815 on the order of the viceroy of Sichuan. One of the soldiers who had escorted him from Chengdu to Beijing in 1785, later Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, also died for the faith. Pope Leo XIII beatified Dufresse on 27 May 1900, and Pope John Paul II canonized him on 1 October 2000.

Works and witness

• Joined the Paris Foreign Missions Society in 1774 and was sent to China in 1775
• Arrested and expelled in 1785, secretly returned in 1789
• Consecrated bishop in 1800 and made vicar apostolic of Sichuan
• Presided over the Sichuan synod of 1803
• Arrested on 18 May and beheaded on 14 September 1815

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) – arrested 18 May 1815, taken to Chengdu, executed 14 September 1815
• Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity, “Dufresse, Jean Gabriel Taurin” (bdcconline.net) – MEP 1774, sent 1775, expelled 1785, secret return 1789, bishop and vicar apostolic 1800, synod of 1803, beheaded 1815
• Wikipedia (English), “Gabriel-Taurin Dufresse” – birth date and beatification by Leo XIII on 27 May 1900

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