Saint Alexius U Se-Yong was born in 1845 in Seoheung, Hwangae-do, North Korea. He was a young Layman born to the wealthy nobility in the apostolic vicariate of Korea. Having become interested in Christianity, Alexius met with Saint Simeon-Francois Berneux, and Saint Marcus Chong Ui-Bae served as his catechist.

Alexius then embraced Christianity. Even though his family was strongly against his idea of converting to Christianity, he still went on with it and left home to work with missionaries. He used to translate the catechism and other texts to Korean.

His father contacted him and probed about what had captured his heart that caused his conversion. Returning home, Alexius preached to his entire family, and twenty of them were converted to Christianity. Then the family moved to a new town to avoid persecution. In 1866 Alexius was visiting Chong Mark when authorities came to arrest them. Alexius renounced the Catholic faith and was released. He even took part in beating another catechist to death.

However, Alexius was so overcome with sorrow and remorse, that he confessed to the Bishop to apostasy and murder. He was arrested again, but remained firm in his faith in the face of torture. He was executed on March 11, 1866, at the age of twenty-two.

He died on 11 March 1866 at a Small West Gate, Seoul in South Korea. His veneration was done by Pope Paul VI (decree of martyrdom) on 4th July 1968.

Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Constantine
2. Saint Amunia
3. Saint Benedict Crispus
4. Saint Candidus
5. Saint Firmian

-catholicreadings.org