Catholic saint biography
St. Matthew Lê Văn Gẫm
- Lived:
- 1813-1847 — Vietnam
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Biography
Matthew Lê Văn Gẫm was born near Gò Công in Biên Hòa. He briefly entered the seminary at Lái Thiêu, but his parents called him home to meet responsibilities as their eldest son. He married and settled near Bà Rịa, where trade supported his family. His marriage included a period of infidelity, followed by repentance.
Matthew used his knowledge of sea travel to help the church during persecution. Priests entrusted him with journeys carrying seminarians, supplies, and missionaries between Vietnam and ports including Singapore. This dangerous work exposed him to official punishment. He was eventually beheaded in 1847, and Catholics arranged a discreet burial. He was canonized in 1988.
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What will you carry with you?
After reading about St. Matthew Lê Văn Gẫm, 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
- Archdiocese of Hanoi: Matthew Lê Văn Gẫm ↗
- Holy See: individual register of the 117 Vietnamese martyrs (88) ↗
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. AI-assisted institutional-source comparison; no qualified human review is claimed. Compared canonical and source names, aliases, clergy or lay status, family relationships and martyrdom details against all 685 baseline canonical or archived identities (625 published) and all prior directory batches. Holy See register number 88 is a distinct individual; source-name variants count as one person.
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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