en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Martyrs
3 corrections found
who were killed in China during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
This date range is too narrow. The Catholic martyrs in this group include people killed as early as 1648, not only in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Full reasoning
The article itself is about both the Orthodox and Catholic Chinese martyrs. The Catholic side of that group does not begin in the 19th century.
An official Vatican biography for Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 companions gives the range “Martyrs in China (+1648–1930)”. The same biography says that Francis Fernández de Capillas was killed on 15 January 1648 and identifies him as the Protomartyr of China. It also lists additional martyrdoms in the 18th century.
So the statement that these martyrs were killed in China only “during the 19th and early 20th centuries” is incorrect for the Catholic martyrs covered by this page.
1 source
- Agostino Zhao Rong e 119 compagni cinesi - biografia
AGOSTINO ZHAO RONG (+ 1815) AND 119 COMPANIONS, MARTYRS IN CHINA (+ 1648–1930)... It was on 15 January 1648 that... Blessed Francis Fernández de Capillas... was killed... Blessed Francis Fernández de Capillas has been recognised by the Holy See as a Protomartyr of China.
in 2016, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church officially canonized the saints and allowed church-wide veneration.
This mixes up the 1902 and 2016 actions. Official Russian Orthodox sources say the Chinese martyrs were already officially venerated in 1902, and that in 2016 the Bishops’ Council extended their veneration church-wide.
Full reasoning
Official Russian Orthodox sources distinguish between the original recognition of the Chinese martyrs and the later expansion of their cult.
A Patriarchate page on the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church says the commemoration of the Chinese new martyrs was established by decree of the Holy Synod in 1902. A later DECR report says that in 2016 the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church took a decision on the church-wide glorification of Hieromartyr Mitrophan and those who suffered with him.
That means 2016 was not the first official Orthodox recognition of these saints; it broadened an already existing veneration. The article also misidentifies the 2016 body as the Holy Synod, whereas the cited ROC source says it was the Bishops’ Council.
2 sources
- Китайская Автономная Православная Церковь - Патриархия.ру
Празднование китайским новомученикам установлено указом Святейшего Синода в 1902 году.
- Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk celebrates at the Chinese Patriarchal Metochion in Moscow
In 2016, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church took decision on the church-wide glorification of the hieromartyr presbyter Mitrofan 'and many those who suffered with him and accepted a martyr's crown in Beijing in 1900.'
Of the group, 87 were Chinese laypeople and 33 were clergy;
This breakdown is wrong. Official Vatican sources say 87 were Chinese by nationality, but only 83 of those were laypeople; the 33 figure refers to non-Chinese missionaries, not to all clergy.
Full reasoning
The Vatican's own materials for the 2000 canonization give a different breakdown from the one in the article.
In a Holy See press briefing, Joaquín Navarro-Valls stated that of the 120 martyrs, 87 were Chinese, and among those 87, 83 were lay men and women. The briefing then separately says the 33 non-Chinese missionaries included 6 bishops, 19 priests, 1 religious brother, and 7 sisters.
Pope John Paul II's canonization homily also distinguishes “the other 85 Chinese men and women ... priests, religious and lay people” from “the 33 missionaries”. So the article's statement that 87 were Chinese laypeople and 33 were clergy is incorrect: 87 is the number of Chinese martyrs overall, not Chinese laypeople, and 33 refers to non-Chinese missionaries rather than the total clergy count.
2 sources
- BRIEFING SULLE CANONIZZAZIONI DEL 1° OTTOBRE 2000 DEL DIRETTORE DELLA SALA STAMPA DELLA SANTA SEDE, DR. JOAQUÍN NAVARRO-VALLS
dei 120 martiri, 87 sono di nazionalità cinese e, fra questi ultimi, 83 sono uomini e donne allo stato laicale... I 33 missionari non cinesi...: 6 di essi sono vescovi, 19 sacerdoti diocesani o religiosi, 1 religioso e 7 suore.
- 1 October 2000, Canonization of Augustine Zhao Rong and 119 companions, Martyrs in China...
The other 85 Chinese men and women of every age and state, priests, religious and lay people... Resplendent in this host of martyrs are also the 33 missionaries who left their land...