Isidore Ngei Ko Lat

Isidoro Ngei Ko Lat (17 September 1918 – 24 May 1950) was a Catholic catechist from Myanmar who was killed in 1950. He was beatified in 2014. He is the first Myanma Catholic to be beatified.

In 1946, Italian priest Mario Vergara arrived for his mission in Myanmar, and he met Ko Lat. He asked Ko Lat to join him in his missionary work. After the 1948 independence of Myanmar, he and Vergara were threatened by the guerillas in Myanmar. The two were working in Kayah state and had accepted help from the government while travelling; this led to them being seen as enemies of the local rebels. On May 24, 1950 Ko Lat and Vergara met with a rebel leader to demand the release of another catechist who had been arrested; after interrogation, both were shot dead.

Beatification 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 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.