Blessed Isidore Ngei Ko Lat
Burmese catechist, first of his country to be beatified, shot in 1950
- Rank
- Blessed
- Kind
- Martyr, Layperson
- Life
- 1918 – 1950
- Era
- 20th century
- Feast
- 24 May
- Countries
- Myanmar (Burma)
Life story
Isidore Ngei Ko Lat was born in 1918 at Ahtet Tawpon in Kayin State, Burma. Sources give his birth date as 7 or 17 September; he was baptized on 7 September. He was a Catholic catechist and also taught at a village school during the war.
He worked alongside an Italian priest, Mario Vergara. In 1950 the region was in armed conflict. When a catechist was arrested, Fr Vergara and Isidore went to the local district chief to ask for his release.
Both were shot dead on 24 May 1950 at Shadaw in Kayah State (one source says 25 May); their bodies were thrown into the Salween River and never found. He was 31.
On 24 May 2014, at the cathedral of San Paolo in Aversa, Italy, Cardinal Angelo Amato presided at the beatification on behalf of Pope Francis. He is the first Myanma Catholic to be beatified. His feast is 24 May.
Works and witness
- Catholic catechist and village school teacher
- Went with Fr Mario Vergara to ask for a detained catechist's release
- Shot dead on 24 May 1950 at Shadaw
- Beatified on 24 May 2014
References
- AsiaNews, "Raised to the altars, Isidoro Ngei Ko Lat, first Burmese Blessed, and Mario Vergara, 19th PIME martyr"
- AsiaNews, "Loikaw Church, the legacy of martyrdom, that Fr Mario Vergara and Isidore Ngei Ko Lat"
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.