Maria Phon was a Thai Catholic martyr who lived from 1926 to 1940. Born into a Christian family, she was baptized when she was only one month old. During the conflict between Thailand and French Indochina, she was arrested by local police on charges of espionage. While in custody, authorities pressured her to renounce her Christian faith. She was executed by firing squad on December 26, 1940, alongside six other Catholic individuals.
Life and death
Born in 1926 to parents Ioann Thana and Ekaterina Pha, Maria grew up within the Catholic faith. Her life ended abruptly during the wartime tensions in Thailand. Following her arrest for alleged spying, she refused to abandon her religious beliefs, leading to her execution by the police in Songkhon.
Veneration
In 1989, Pope John Paul II declared her blessed as part of a group of seven Thai martyrs. The Catholic Church commemorates her memory on December 16.