St. Dominic An-Kham: Korean Martyr & Layman ✝️
Dominic An-Kham was a Korean Catholic layman who died a martyr’s death during the great persecutions in Korea—witnessing to Christ in a nation hostile to the faith.
The Man
Dominic An-Kham was born in Korea in the early 19th century. He was not a priest, not a missionary from Rome—he was a Korean convert to Catholicism during a time when the faith was spreading quietly among the Korean people, despite severe restrictions and sporadic violence from the Korean government.
He lived as a faithful Catholic layman, practicing his faith in secret alongside other Korean believers. Korea had no native clergy; the faith was sustained by laypeople like Dominic who risked everything to follow Christ.
The Persecution & Martyrdom
During the 19th century, the Korean government viewed Catholicism as a foreign threat and a danger to social order. Christians were hunted, interrogated, and executed. Dominic was arrested during one of these waves of persecution.
Under interrogation and torture, Dominic was given the same choice offered to so many: renounce the Catholic faith, and live. He refused. He remained steadfast in his witness to Christ, and was executed for his faith—becoming one of the Korean Martyrs.
Canonization & Legacy
Dominic An-Kham was canonized among the Korean Martyrs. His feast day is celebrated on September 20, commemorating the day of their martyrdom in 1866 (the Byeonginje persecution).
The Witness
Dominic’s martyrdom demonstrates a profound truth: the faith is not sustained by clergy alone, but by the courage and conviction of ordinary believers willing to die rather than deny Christ. He is part of the great cloud of witnesses—the Korean Martyrs—who established the Catholic Church in Korea through their blood.