Saint Joseph Marchand

Our Holy Father Pope Gregory XVI, in his allocution of April 27, 1840, celebrates the triumphs of several priests and simple faithful, both European and native, who courageously and amidst the most dreadful tortures confessed the name of Jesus Christ. The sovereign Pontiff weeps over the evils caused by the persecution, but at the same time he is proud of the glory and happy for the happiness of his children, whom God deigns to crown in His mercy: "He is happy to praise before his venerable brothers, the princes of the Church, Jesus Christ triumphant in his soldiers".

"And, to begin with the year 1835, the missionary Marchand showed himself in Cochinchina to be a courageous athlete of Jesus Christ. The fort where he was held by the rebels having been taken by the king's soldiers, he was captured by them, thrown like a wild beast into an iron cage, and taken to the capital city. There, urged in vain by the violence of torments to abandon the faith, he was, towards the end of November of that year, put to death by order of the king, out of hatred for his faith".

This worthy confessor, Joseph Marchand, was from Passavant, in the diocese of Besançon. One cannot read without horror what he had to endure. This account was transmitted by eyewitnesses, and a painting, brought from Cochinchina and preserved in Paris, in the room of martyrs at the Foreign Missions, represents the holy priest in the hands of his executioners. On three separate occasions, five executioners, armed with huge tongs, tore the flesh of his legs and thighs.

Fifteen days later, when the wounds were beginning to heal, he was subjected to the same torture with red-hot pincers: a thick smoke exhaled from the burning wounds of the martyr. In the midst of this infernal torture, the mandarin questioned the martyr about the dogmas and practices of the Christians, and the dying martyr still found strength to defend and confess the faith of Jesus Christ.

Finally, the moment of deliverance arrived. M. Marchand was tied to a post; two executioners, armed with cutlasses, placed themselves at his side; the sound of the tam-tam was heard; the two executioners seized the sufferer's chest with their pincers, pulled it, twisted it with violence, cut it in a single stroke, and threw the bloody shreds to the ground. The missionary made no movement. The executioners seized other parts of the body, and two huge pieces of flesh were cut again: the sufferer stirred, his eyes turned toward heaven: "O my God! O Father!" he cried out. They moved down to the legs: two shreds fell beneath the blade; then exhausted nature succumbed, his head bowed, and the soul of the martyr flew to the bosom of God.

The body of M. Marchand was crushed and reduced to dust, and this dust was thrown into the sea. None of his relics could be preserved.

Pope Gregory XVI, in his decree of June 19, 1840, declared him Venerable.