Anthony Jeong Chan-mun was born in 1822 in Jungchon, Jinju, Gyeongsang-do (now, Jungchon-ri, Sabong-myeon, Jinju-si, Gyeongnam) to a noble family. He first heard about the Catholic religion from his wife who was already a Catholic. It was in 1863, when he was 41 years old, that he learned the catechism and became a Catholic.
  
  
   Anthony Jeong faithfully practiced his religion for three years. The Byeongin Persecution broke out in 1866 and many Catholics were arrested all over the country. He was arrested in the autumn of that year. A low-ranking public official, an acquaintance of his relatives, came and tempted him, saying, “If you say one word to deny your faith I will help you and you will not to be taken to the police." But he refused to deny his faith.
  
  
   Anthony Jeong was taken to Jinju, and was imprisoned for 25 days. There he had to go through interrogation and cruel punishment. His fortune was confiscated by the government, and his family became poor to the point that his wife had to beg for rice for him in prison.
  
  
   One day Anthony Jeong was beaten mercilessly, but he did not renounce his faith in God. Next day he was put in prison again, and he died that night in his prison cell. It was on January 25, 1867 (December 20, 1866 by the Lunar calendar). Anthony Jeong was 45 years old.
  
  
   After he died a martyr, his body was abandoned in the prison cell for three days. Then his nephews came, took his body and buried it near his hometown. It is said that even after being dead for three days his body felt soft and supple and his face also had a peaceful countenance like that of a living person.