Home Catholic Church & Asia Fr. François Ponchaud, chronicler of Khmer Rouge atrocities, dies at 85

Fr. François Ponchaud, chronicler of Khmer Rouge atrocities, dies at 85

Fr. François Ponchaud, a prominent French missionary and chronicler of Cambodia’s tragic history under the Khmer Rouge, passed away at the age of 85 in the retirement home of the Missions Étrangères de Paris. 

Renowned for his dedication to Cambodia and his seminal book Cambodia, Year Zero, Fr. Ponchaud spent 56 years in the Southeast Asian nation, documenting its dark history and contributing to the rebirth of its Catholic Church, according to a report by AsiaNews.

Bishop Olivier Schmitthaeusler, Apostolic Vicar of Phnom Penh, said, “He dedicated his entire life to serving the Lord and the people of God as a missionary in Cambodia.” 



“We are grateful for his work in translating the Bible, the Second Vatican Council, many official texts of the Catholic Church and for preparing all the books for catechesis, liturgy, and many training seminars for catechists and the faithful,” the prelate added. 

Born on November 8, 1939, in Sallanches, Haute-Savoie, Fr. Ponchaud joined the Missions Étrangères de Paris after serving as a paratrooper in Algeria. 

Ordained in 1964, he arrived in Cambodia the following year, immersing himself in the study of the Khmer language and serving in the apostolic prefecture of Kampong Cham.

Fr. Ponchaud became a direct witness to the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime. When Phnom Penh fell on April 17, 1975, he was among the last foreigners to leave the country, expelled after weeks of detention at the French Embassy. 

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His experience led to the publication of Cambodia, Year Zero in 1977, a groundbreaking work that revealed the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge, who orchestrated the extermination of 2.3 million Cambodians. 

Through meticulous analysis of official radio speeches, Fr. Ponchaud exposed the regime’s brutal objectives, including its efforts to reshape society at a devastating human cost.

During his years of exile, Fr. Ponchaud remained committed to the Cambodian people, visiting refugees across France, Europe, America, and Thailand. 

After the 1993 Paris Agreement ended the Vietnamese occupation, he returned to Cambodia, resuming his pastoral mission.

In addition to his priestly duties, he authored The Rice Terrace Cathedral, chronicling the 450-year history of the Catholic Church in Cambodia. 

He also founded the Cambodian Catholic Cultural Center to teach Khmer language and culture to missionaries and volunteers, aiming to deepen their understanding and service to the community.

Fr. Ponchaud retired to a rural parish in Cambodia from 2016 to 2021 before returning to France due to age and health issues. 

Despite his physical departure, his influence remains profound in Cambodia. As Bishop Schmitthaeusler noted, his life’s work not only preserved the memory of Cambodia’s suffering but also nurtured the country’s spiritual and cultural renewal.

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