Cardinal François-Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận was born on April 17, 1928, in Phú Cam, Huế, Vietnam. He was ordained a priest in 1953 and later appointed Bishop of Nha Trang in 1967. In 1975, following the fall of Saigon, he was arrested and imprisoned for 13 years, nine of which were spent in solitary confinement. During his imprisonment, he maintained his faith and composed reflections that would later inspire many.

After his release, Cardinal Văn Thuận served as the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace from 1994 until his death on September 16, 2002. His cause for beatification was initiated in 2007, and he was declared Venerable on December 20, 2017.

Pope Francis, during a homily in 2014, referred to Cardinal Văn Thuận as "a man of hope," highlighting his unwavering faith and resilience.