After a year of the most barbarous tortures, Fr. Perbyre's body on the cross looked beautiful, fresh and young with no marks or scars. Some enemies couldn't believe he was dead and wanted his body to remain on the cross for several more days. Many pagans were converted by this fact alone. After a night and a day on the cross, the soldiers took down his body and put it in a coffin and buried it on Hon-chen mountain. A catechist, named Fong, together with other Christians collected money to buy from the soldiers Fr. Perboyre's clothes, instruments of execution and his coffin and body. They substituted another coffin filled with earth. Then they took Fr. Perboyre's body to a chapel, dressed it in beautiful Mass vestments and had a burial service for him. They buried him on Red Mount¬ain, the Catholic cemetery, next to 3 Jesuit priests and near to Fr. Clet.
Shortly after, the mandarin of Kou-ching was arrested, deposed from office and hanged himself. The cruel Viceroy, the Triple Tiger, was condemned to perpetual exile for excessive cruelty and barely escaped with his life.
Meanwhile, back in France, news traveled very slowly. First his mother heard of his capture. Months later she heard of his martyrdom. She was not at all surprised. She received the news in all calmness and in the spirit of sacrifice, uniting herself to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Probably, the greatest miracle of all was that at the death of Fr. Perboyre, a large, distinct, bright, lumin¬ous cross appeared in heaven. This was seen by numerous people, near and distant, pagans and Christians, living in many different communities. The Bishop of the Diocese was skeptical of this and made intense investigations. He was amazed at the large number and the importance of of the witnesses, both pagan and Christian. All the Christians who were questioned said that they had always considered Fr. Perboyre a saint, even before his capture. That same luminous cross appeared again months later over his tomb.
Shortly after, the mandarin of Kou-ching was arrested, deposed from office and hanged himself. The cruel Viceroy, the Triple Tiger, was condemned to perpetual exile for excessive cruelty and barely escaped with his life.
Meanwhile, back in France, news traveled very slowly. First his mother heard of his capture. Months later she heard of his martyrdom. She was not at all surprised. She received the news in all calmness and in the spirit of sacrifice, uniting herself to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Probably, the greatest miracle of all was that at the death of Fr. Perboyre, a large, distinct, bright, lumin¬ous cross appeared in heaven. This was seen by numerous people, near and distant, pagans and Christians, living in many different communities. The Bishop of the Diocese was skeptical of this and made intense investigations. He was amazed at the large number and the importance of of the witnesses, both pagan and Christian. All the Christians who were questioned said that they had always considered Fr. Perboyre a saint, even before his capture. That same luminous cross appeared again months later over his tomb.
