Catholic saint biography
St. Maria Yi Yon-hui
- Lived:
- d. 1839 — Korea
A Catholic liturgical calendar date has not yet been verified for this entry. Execution dates are not treated as feast days; a shared celebration requires a scoped calendar citation.
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Biography
Maria Yi Yon-hui and her husband, the catechist Damian Nam Myong-hyok, welcomed Bishop Imbert and other missionaries into their home. Maria cared for Catholics gathering there, taught them and helped them prepare to receive the sacraments. Hosting these meetings placed the family at risk.
She was arrested during the 1839 persecution. In custody she endured severe mistreatment and the anguish of knowing that her young son was also being harmed in a separate cell. Maria continued to profess her faith and was executed in Seoul in September 1839. Her life is documented individually in the Korean bishops' martyr collection.
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What will you carry with you?
After reading about St. Maria Yi Yon-hui, take a moment to consider:
- Which event or decision in this life stood out to you?
- What virtue would you like to understand or practice more deeply?
- What small action could you take today in response?
These are reflection prompts from Saint Discovery, not quotations from the saint.
Sources and further reading
Biography source comparison recorded on . This is an AI-assisted comparison, not independent human or ecclesiastical approval.
What the recorded review covers
Individual Catholic institutional source review; original concise factual summary. Compared canonical and source name variants, family relationships and death details against 486 legacy records and all 21 prior additions (447 published records). CBCK individual 29 is a distinct person, not either existing Korean saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon or Paul Chong Ha-sang.
A source list helps you check an account; it does not establish that every claim is certain. Follow the biography’s qualifications about historical evidence, traditions and feast calendars.
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