1900 - Rosa Fan Hui

August 16, 1900

Wuqiao, Hebei

Rosa Fan Hui. [CRBC]

Rosa Fan Hui was a 45-year-old schoolteacher who had never married. She was born and baptized at Fan village in Wuqiao County, Hebei Province. Rosa was described as “kind, pious and modest, leading a life of poverty.”[1]

When the Boxer persecution got underway her school was closed, so she returned to her home village and hid in a secure spot near a river. On August 15th two Catholic women came to visit Rosa. They celebrated the Feast of Assumption together and Rosa told them she was ready to die for her faith. The very next day a group of Boxers came to the village. Rosa concealed herself, but a short time later some young men told her the Boxers had already left. Believing them, Rosa followed the young men back towards the village, where they robbed and tried to molest her. Rosa fought them off. The young men, angry and frustrated, summoned the Boxers, who threatened Rosa with death if she would not deny her faith. She refused, and the enraged Boxers immediately attacked her. One of them

“almost cut off her arm with a knife, then slashed her face, peeling off half of her cheek. In spite of their brutality, Rosa kept calm and prayed fervently. She told them, ‘Wait till I finish my prayers. Then you can kill me.’ When she was done with her prayers, she said, ‘I have finished now. Go ahead!’ All their swords and knives fell on her at once and she dropped to the ground, half dead. Then they threw her in the river to die by drowning.”[2]