Biography
Alexius U Se-yong
About Alexius U Se-yong
Alexius U Se-yong grew up in a scholarly family at Seoheung in Hwanghae Province. Raised in a wealthy household, he had received a systematic education with his brothers before seeking baptism. After learning about Catholicism from the catechist John Kim Gi-ho, he decided to seek baptism despite his family’s opposition. He traveled to Seoul with other people preparing to become Catholics. Bishop Siméon Berneux baptized his companions but asked Mark Chong Ui-bae to spend more time instructing Alexius before admitting him. After a week, Mark’s report satisfied the bishop, who baptized him in 1863.
After family opposition, Alexius returned to Seoul and stayed with Mark, supporting himself by copying books. He later taught his family, whose members received baptism. They moved to Nonje to practice their religion with less attention from neighbors.
Alexius was arrested at a Catholic gathering near Pyongyang during the persecution of 1866. Under torture, he renounced his faith and was released. The authored encyclopedia account describes him regretting that decision and traveling to Seoul to seek reconciliation. At Mark’s house he found officers already present, declared himself a Catholic and was taken into custody again. In prison he met Berneux, who heard his confession.
The brief entry in the 1895 martyr list also records that he had renounced his religion at Pyongyang before returning voluntarily to imprisonment in Seoul. It names him as Se-pil, another name by which he was known.
A later biography issued by the Korean bishops’ conference reports that Alexius also confessed to participation in the killing of Peter Yu Chong-nyul. This is a serious allegation within that received account.
Dallet’s earlier narrative describes his confession and renewed imprisonment without including that allegation.
The authored Korean Catholic Encyclopedia entry likewise does not include it.
After the second arrest, Alexius refused further demands to abandon his religion. He was executed at Saenamteo on March 11, 1866.
He died with Mark Chong, Pourthié and Petitnicolas.
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