St. Anna Wang was born in the Xingtai Hebei Province in China in the year 1886. She lost her mother at the age of four. Anna was very fervent, intently studying the Catechism and continually devoting herself to pious exercises. At age of 10 she resolved to consecrate her virginity to God and dedicated her life to the service of the Church.
In 1900 the Chinese quasi-religious faction known as the “Boxers” began a bloody persecution against Christians in China. Anna, now fourteen, was among a group of Catholic women who, as the Boxers approached, took shelter in a school. It was Anna who led the women in prayer and by her words of encouragement helped them to persevere in their faith.
On 21st July 1900, the Boxers captured Anna and several other Catholics and put them in one room called “the East Room” in Da Ning Village of Hebei Province. The head of the bandits told them to denounce their religion or else be killed. He continued by saying that all they had to do was to walk out of the “east” room to the “west” room and someone would be there to set them free. After a while, the step mother of St. Anna Wang walked to the “west” room but then suddenly turned back and grabbed Anna’s arm and tried to pull her to the “west” room. Anna grabbed the door frame to prevent her stepmother from dragging her into the “west” room. She cried out, “I want to believe in God. I want to be a Catholic.I do not want to leave the Church! Jesus help me!”
The next morning, the bandits marched all the Catholics to the execution site. St. Annaa led everyone in a prayer and made an act of contrition.
When they arrived, St. Annaa knelt down facing the church of the Wei village. She folded her hands and began to pray in a loud voice. The head bandit stood in front of her and told her, “Leave your church now.” St. Annaa did not hear him since she was deep in prayer. He touched her forehead and then St. Annaa awoke, stepped backward and screamed, “Do not touch me.” She calmed down and said, “I am a Catholic. I will never deny God. It is better for me to die.”
Extremely angered, the bandit cut off a piece of flesh from her left shoulder and then asked her again to leave the church. But Anna answered: “No!” The bandit then raised his axe and cut off her left arm. The Saint still knelt there, holding her hands towards heaven and calmly said: “The door of heaven is open for all!” and whispering “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus”. Then, she extended her neck. On 22nd July, Anna and the others were beheaded and thrown into a pit.
There was an 80-year old Mrs. Wang Lau. She was a very fervent Catholic, honest and reliable. She knew St. Anna Wang very well. According to Mrs. Lau’s account, “When Anna was martyred, I saw her ascending to heaven, wearing a blue and green silk dress with a flower crown on her head. She looks very, very beautiful.” Eighteen months later their bodies were exhumed, they were found to be incorrupt.
† My Little Catholic Nook ツ 