Catholic lay leader who compiled the Gihae Diary and was martyred at Saenamteo; Saint Charles
| Life | 1797 ~ 1846 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 연주 현씨 |
Hyeon Seok-mun (1797-1846), born in Seoul, was a Catholic of the Yeonju Hyeon clan (as classified by Wikipedia), baptismal name Charles. His father was martyred in 1801, his wife and children died in prison in 1839, and his sister Hyeon Gyeong-ryeon was martyred in the Gihae persecution.
In 1836 he went to Uiju to receive Bishop Imbert, and from 1837 served Father Chastan on missions. During the persecution he was Seoul catechist under the alias Yi Jae-yeong. In 1845 he sailed to Shanghai with Deacon Kim Dae-geon and received Bishop Ferréol.
He compiled the Gihae Diary of the martyrs in three years. Arrested on 11 July 1846 while moving church property, he was beheaded at Saenamteo on 19 September. He was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1984 with 102 others; his feast day is 20 September.
His father died in the 1801 persecution, and his wife, children and sister in 1839; the loss led him to gather martyr records.
With helpers he collected martyr accounts into the Gihae Diary in three years, a valuable record of the persecution era.
Arrested while moving church property, he was beheaded at Saenamteo, beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1984. His clan comes from a Wikipedia category, not the text.
His grave was not confirmed; he was martyred at Saenamteo in Seoul.