In 1898 seven sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary were sent to the Shanxi diocese in China to serve the poor in hospitals, and care for the unwanted or other destitutes in orphanages. There they all died in one of the periodic crackdowns against foreign missionaries. They were beheaded on July 9, 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China. They were Beatified on November 24, 1946 by Pope Pius XII. They were Canonized on October 1, 2000 by Pope John Paul II. They were:
Anne-Catherine Dierks
Anne-Francoise Moreau
Clelia Nanetti
Irma Grivot
Jeanne-Marie Kuergin
Marianna Giuliani
Pauline Jeuris
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Saint Marie de Saint Just (Also known as Anne-Francoise Moreau, Maria di San Giusto, Anne Moreau) was one of the Martyrs of Shanxi. She was born on April 9, 1866 in La Fate, France as Anne-Francoise Moreau. Daughter of a wealthy farmer known for his charity. A sensitive child, she retreated to silence and solitude. Her father died when Anne was still young, and she soon helped support the family by selling the farm produce in town. When Anne was in her early 20’s she felt a call to religious life. Against her mother‘s wishes, who had arranged a marriage for her, Anne entered the novitiate of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1890. Though she was initially enthused in her new life, the separation from her family took a large psychological toll on her. She became haunted by doubts, severely depressed, completely withdrawn, doubting her vocation, then her sanity, and then her faith itself. Led back to the faith and her sanity by Mother Mary of the Passion, she was herself again when the final test came during a crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion. One of the Martyrs of Shanxi and the Martyrs of China. She was beheaded on 9 July 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China.
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Saint Mary Hermina Grivot (Also known as Irma Grivot, Maria Ermellina di Gesù, Marie Hermine de Jésus, Mary Hermina of Jesus) was one of the Martyrs of Shanxi. She was born on April 28, 1866 in Beaune, France. Daughter of a cooper and a housekeeper. Irma was an active, affectionate, sensitive, intelligent but sickly child, and her education stopped at the elementary level. She felt drawn to religious life, but her family opposed it. She worked as a tutor to make her own way, and in 1894 she entered a pre-novitiate of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary at Vanves near Paris, France, then her novitiate at Les Châtelets in July, taking the name Marie Hermine de Jésus. Her poor health caused her to spend a longer than usual novitiate, proving that she was capable of the rigors of missionary life. She served in her house by taking care of the accounts in Les Chatelets and Vanves, caring for the sick in Marseilles, France and then as superior of the missionaries in Taiyuanfu, China. In 1898 she and six sisters were sent to the Shanxi diocese in China to serve the poor in hospitals, and care for the unwanted or other destitutes in orphanages. There they all died in the Boxer Rebellion, beheaded on 9 July 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China.
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Saint Jeanne-Marie Kerguin (Also known as Giovanna Kerguin, Juana María Kerguin, Marie Santa Natalia, Marie de Sainte Nathalie) was one of the Martyrs of Shanxi. She was born on May 5, 1864 in Belle-Isle en Terre, France as Jeanne-Marie Kerguin. Jeanne-Marie grew up in a poor peasant mountain family. Her mother died when Giovanna was quite young, and she was forced to take over the household chores for the family. With her home obligations fulfilled, she joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1887, taking the name Marie Santa Natalia. There she happily threw herself into a life of prayer and devotion to the simplest and most menial tasks of her house. She was assigned first to Paris, France, then to Carthage in north Africa. She encountered health problems and was sent to Rome, Italy to recover. There she answered the call of her Order to work as a missionary. She arrived in China in March 1899, and was almost immediately hospitalized for several months with typhus. Her short-lived career ended during a crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion. She was beheaded on 9 July 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China.
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Saint Marianna Giuliani also known as (Sister Maria of Peace) was one of the Martyrs of Shanxi. She was born on December 12, 1875 in L’Aquila, Italy. She was a Member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. Martyred in the Boxer Rebellion, she was beheaded on July 9, 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China.
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Saint Marie Amandine, also known as (The Laughing Foreigner, Pauline Jeuris) was one of the Martyrs of Shanxi. She was born on December 28, 1872 in Herk-la-Ville, Belgium as Pauline Jeuris. One of seven children in a pious family; three of her siblings went into religious life. Her mother died when Pauline was seven, her father was forced to move to find work, and she was adopted by another pious village family. Franciscan tertiary at age fifteen. Joined the Institute of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, taking the name Marie Amandine. Worked as a nurse in Marseilles, France then in the mission hospital and orphanage in Taiyuanfu, China. Her career ended during a crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion. She was beheaded on 9 July 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China.
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Saint Maria Chiara was a Martyr of China. She was born on January 9, 1872 in Santa Maria Maddalena, Occhiobello, Rovigo, Italy as Clelia Nanette. Known as a pretty, high-spirited, intelligent, joyful, energetic and impulsive girl. Her parents encouraged her to a more active social life in the hope that she would marry, but she declined, working at home, and living a private vow of chastity. At 18 she asked permission to enter religious life, but her parents vehemently opposed it. With her brother’s help, she joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary on 24 January 1892, taking the name Chiara (Clare). Missionary to China, her short-lived career ended during a crackdown on foreign missionaries. One of the Martyrs of Shanxi and the Martyrs of China she was beheaded on July 9, 1900 at Taiyuanfu, Shanxi, China.
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Saint Marie Adolphine Dierks, also known as (Anne-Catherine Dierks, Judoca Anna Catharina Dirks, Kaatje Dierkx) was a Martyr of China. She was born on March 8, 1866 in Ossendrecht, Noord Brabant, Netherlands as Anne-Catherine Dierks. One of six children in a very poor family. Her mother died when Anne was still quite young, and the children were raised by equally poor neighbors. Anne was known as a studious and prayerful child. She worked in a factory, and then as a domestic servant. She eventually joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, served as a missionary to China, and died in the crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion. She was beheaded on July 9 1900 at Taiyuanfu, China.