Isidore Ngei Ko Lat

Blessed Isidoro Ngei Ko Lat
Isidore (right) and his companion Vergara.
Catechist, Martyr
Born	September 1918 Ahtet Tawpon, Kayin, Myanmar
Died	24 May 1950 Shadaw, Kayah, Myanmar
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	24 May 2014, Cathedral of San Paolo, Aversa, Caserta, Italy by Cardinal Angelo Amato
Feast	24 May

Blessed Isidoro Ngei Ko Lat (1918 – 24 May 1950) was a catechist from Myanmar who was killed in 1950. He was beatified in 2014.

Isidoro Ngei Ko Lat was the son of peasants and Father Dominic Pedrotti baptized him on 7 September 1918. His parents died when he was young and both he and his younger brother were cared for by their aunt and uncle. By 1925, he began attending primary school in his village.

As he grew older, he expressed a desire to serve God and his vocation led him to the minor seminary of Saint Teresa where he studied for six years until World War II started. During the war, he returned to his village and became a teacher where he opened a school for the village children.

In 1946, Mario Vergara arrived for his mission in Myanmar, and he met Ko Lat. He ultimately decided that Ko Lat would join him in his missionary work. After the 1948 independence of Myanmar, he and Vergara were threatened by the guerillas in Myanmar and the two were murdered.

The Congregation for the Causes of Saints approved the cause of beatification which commenced on 23 October 2001. This bestowed upon him the title of Servant of God. Pope Francis approved his and Mario Vergara's martyrdom on 9 December 2013, thus, allowing for their beatification. Cardinal Angelo Amato represented the pope at the beatification on 24 May 2014.