Blessed Lucien Botovasoa - 1908-1947
Lucien Botovasoa was bornin 1908 in Madagascar, the first of 9 children of a non-Christian family. He was baptized as a young teen in 1922. He earned his teaching diploma in 1928 and married his wife, Suzanna, in 1930 and they began a family. Three of their eight children died young.
Lucien worked as the village teacher and served in the local parish, becoming the director of the parish choir. He loved to read his students stories of the Saints. He was also a polyglot, knowing five languages in addition to his native Malagasy. A religious sister once commented that he would have made a fine priest. He responded by telling her that, as a lay person, he was able to reach people that she could not.
Around 1940, Lucien discovered the Third Order Franciscans. He was happy to have a way to offer himself more fully to Christ while still living out his Vocation as husband, father and teacher. He began living a Franciscan spiritualty, which he expressed by giving up the traditional teacher's clothing and dressing all in khaki with a rope belt in an imitation of the Franciscan habit.
In 1947, there was a native uprising in Madagascar against the French Colonial rulers. Catholics were suspected of collaborating with the colonial powers and were subject to increasing levels of persecution. During Holy Week, priests and religious were rounded up and Churches were burned. Lucien remained steadfast in the face of the persecution and he led a prayer service in the forest on Easter Sunday. But he was also aware of the danger he faced. He prepared his wife and family for what he knew was coming.
On the evening of April 17, 1947, he was escorted to the king or leader of the rebel group. He was sentenced to death and beheaded while praying for his executors. His body was thrown in the river.
Bl. Lucien Botovasoa's feast day is April 14. Blessed Lucien, pray for us.
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