From his prison cell in Guizhou, Peter wrote to his wife in 1814: “Be loyal to the Lord, and accept his will.” It had been 18 years since Peter had made his own commitment to the Lord, throwing away the idols he had in his home and deciding to follow the one, true God. Imprisonment didn’t change that commitment. For the 7 months he was held captive, he held firm to his faith and encouraged the other imprisoned Christians, leading them in prayer.
Wu Guosheng was born in Longping, Guizhou in 1768. His parents were poor, humble inn keepers, well respected in the community. Guosheng was known by the neighbors for his strong sense of justice, care for the poor, and enthusiasm for life even before he became Christian.
The day he welcomed a Christian traveler from Sichuan to his inn was a major turning point. Upon hearing the Gospel for the first time from this traveler, Guosheng was moved to believe in Jesus. He told his parents what he had heard, inviting them to share his new found faith. Not yet baptized, he started spreading the Good News enthusiastically with everyone around him.
A priest from Sichuan heard about the evangelizing, non-baptized man in Longping and decided to pay him a visit. He found Guosheng’s zeal impressive, although not well informed. He took Guosheng back to Sichuan in order to give him a deeper formation, preparing him for baptism. In 1796, he was baptized Peter and sent back to Guizhou. He began teaching the faith to those seeking baptism. Over the years he instructed some 600 students.
On April 3, 1814, he was arrested during a wave of persecution against Christians in his area. When he refused to step on a crucifix and renounce his faith, he was condemned to death. On the way to his execution on November 7, 1814, he recited the Rosary. His last words before being strangled were: “Heaven, heaven, my true home! I see my heavenly mother and my guardian angel coming to take me home.”
Project Xavier 