BERRIO-OCHOA, VALENTÍN, blessed. – Dominican martyr in Tonkin. One of the eight martyrs beatified by Pius X in 1906 (v. ANNAMITI, MARTIRI). Born on 14 November 1827 at Elorrio in Biscay (Spain), and having become a Dominican (1854), he departed in 1856 for the Philippines, whence he moved (1858) to the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Tonkin. That same year he was made its coadjutor bishop and then, following the capture and condemnation to death of the apostolic vicar García Sampedro, was elected to succeed him in directing the vicariate. Caught up in the persecution in the neighboring Apostolic Vicariate of Eastern Tonkin, he was condemned to death and beheaded on 1 November 1861 at Hai-Duong together Almato (v.)
BIBL.: M. Sainz, Vida del mártir Vizcaíno beato V. de B., Vergara 1906; G. Clementi, Gli otto martiri tonchinesi dell'Ordine di s. Domenico, solennemente beatificati da papa Pio X nell'anno 1906, Roma 1906; Streit, Bibl., XI, pp. 185-86.
Giovanni B. Tragella