Henri Dorie

Saint Pierre-Henri Dorie born the September 23rd 1839 with Saint-Hilaire-with-Talmont (the Vendée), deceased the March 7th 1866 with Seoul in Korea, was missionary and martyr.

Priest of the Foreign missions, it belonged to the Group of the 103 martyrs of Korea, was béatifié with Rome on October 6th, 1968 by Paul VI and was canonized with Seoul on May 6th, 1984 by Jean-Paul II. It was the first canonization which took place out of Rome. This saint celebrates the September 20th.

Its life

Wire of Pierre Dorie, who were plowman, and of Genevieve Bignonneau, Henri Dorie was born at midday at the village from the Port from Guittière. He had seven brothers and sisters.

The ten years age, he asks itself to enter to the small seminar of Bauduère to Olonne. He continues his studies with the Grand seminar of Luçon, of 1860 to 1862, then attracted by the remote missions, he presents his candidature and is allowed with the seminar of the Foreign missions of Paris, street of the Vat. May 21st, 1864, it is ordered priest.

In 1864, in order to join the Mandchourie where it was affected, it leaves Marseilles for the Egypt with other young priests. With the Cairo they visit the mosque and the tomb of Méhémet Ali, then with Suez, embark for the East. With Ceylon, where they make stopover, the group sings in front of the prince of the city: the Indian is not he our brother, Fils, like us, of the Eternal . The Prince was delighted. The voyage continues with Singapore, Saigon then Hong-Kong. It arrives finally at Ing Tsè in Mandchourie, goal of its voyage, on October 28th, 1964.

After a voyage exhausting several months, it arrives in January 1865 in the province of Leao Tong. There, he lives in a small village of which the half of the population is Christian. He writes with his family that he is surrounded by love and respect and that there is an intense exchange between his men and him. Embarked on jonque out of wood and straw, it clandestinely unloads in Korea with four other missionaries, all covered of the local behavior of mourning of which the veil their mask the face in order not to be recognized like Européens.

It is in sedan-chair that the missionaries enter Seoul. They discover the immense city, agglomeration of tight ground huts the ones against the others along narrow streets where the sewages run. During fifteen days, they live hidden by the bishop in a rustic hut. Henri Dorie is assigned to the Christian community of Sonkol, located at seven places from there, but by prudence, it continues to hide. If it is conscious of the risk of persecutions, it estimates that it is only likely to be returned in China. In the last letter which he addresses to his parents, Kim (Spiritual father), thus call it the Koreans, expresses his happiness and its hope in this nation which he thinks of becoming soon a country of peace.

Following an aggressive visit of the Russians who threaten his country, the regent of Korea issues an edict of persecution. February 23rd, 1866, the bishop Berneux is imprisoned and a death warrant is taken against him and eight other missionaries. Henri Dorie does not seek to flee, one throws it in prison the 28.

March 8th, 1866, monseigneur Berneux and the fathers Henri Dorie, Just de Bretenières and Louis Beaulieu are led outside the town of Seoul. In front of an huge crowd they are tortured with blow of canes and one breaks the legs to them before decapitating them of a blow of saber. The bodies are then exposed to the sight of the passers by during four days.

December 4th, 1866, in the presence of the bishop of the diocese and of fifty priests, a great festival symbolic system took place with Saint-Hilaire-with-Talmont in the honor of Henri Dorie. The community gathered sang a Te Deum and innumerable streamers floated on the city around a triumphal arch.

At the time of its departure of the great seminar one as of its school-fellows had written a song on him which ended roughly in this premonitory sentence: " In the name of Jesus you will have the sliced head, and twice a year it holy Henri" will come;.

Birthplaces

One can visit, in the street which bears from now on its name, the native house of saint Henri Dorie, in Guittière, Talmont-Saint-Hilaire.

The Saint-Henri-Dorie House

With the Roche-sur-Yon, the Saint-Henri-Dorie house opened his doors in September 2003. It receives young Christians from eighteen to thirty years, which want to look further into their faith and the direction that they wish to give to their life. While continuing their studies or their work, they can remain a year there.

Biographies and references

J-M. Bouquet. Fleur of the Vendée. Pierre-Henri Dorie .
Canon Pickaxe. the mystical and radiant Vendée: Henri Dorie . 1967.
Osservatore Romano . 1984 N° 19 p.1-16
Catholic Documentation . 1925 col.1186-1189. 1968 col.1743-1750. 1984 p.615-618 and 1156-1157.
Abbot Gabriel Prouteau. the Church of Lucs-on-Boulogne. Its stained glasses . Lussaud. Fontenay-the-count. 1946.

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