By La Croix International staff
In the month of September, the Catholic Church in South Korea, a church uniquely founded by laypeople, honors its martyrs, including 103 saints and 124 blessed, who were victims of 19th-century religious persecution.
“God has chosen his people on this earth to accept the Gospel and to flourish in faith. Let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the blessed martyrs so that we may always live according to the Gospel,” said Korean Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung of Seoul during Mass for the 10th anniversary of the beatification of “Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 other martyrs,” an event that took place in 2014 during Pope Francis’ visit to South Korea.
Ten years after that historic occasion—40 years after the first beatification of Korean martyrs in 1984—Korean Catholic communities now regularly pray the “Prayer for the 124 Blessed Korean Martyrs,” listing their names one by one. Cardinal Yeom also recalled the homily given by Pope Francis during the beatification Mass, where he quoted St Paul: “What can separate us from the love of Christ?” The cardinal reiterated the powerful message of “the victory of the martyrs, that is, the power of God’s love.”
“On the 10th anniversary of their beatification,” said Cardinal Yeom, “let us pray once again for the faith of our ancestors. Let us remember how powerful and beautiful the truth of the Gospel that we lived is, and let us remember the importance of faith in the resurrection of Christ that our martyrs demonstrated by overcoming persecution and defeating death.”
Celebrating the roots of the Korean Church
This reflection is particularly meaningful during the “Month of Martyrs” in September, which is celebrated across Korean Catholic communities. “This is a time when we look at the devotion of the martyrs, who are the roots of the Korean Church, and put it into practice in the present,” the cardinal said. Catholic communities across the country observe this month with pilgrimages, prayer vigils, catechisms, meetings, and cultural activities.
September began with Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul, led by Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung. The closing ceremony will take place on Sep 29 at the Shrine of Martyrs in Seosomun, presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Koo Yobi of Seoul, who chairs the Committee for Honoring Martyrs.
Sep 20 marks the feast of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon (1821-1846), Korea’s first priest and martyr. The Archdiocese of Daegu will lead a pilgrimage to the Shrine in Sannae-myeon on Sep 28, while the Youth Commission will organize a special children’s pilgrimage the following day entitled “Following the Footsteps of Father Kim Dae-geon,” which will teach young people about Saint Andrew, Fides reported.
Other events include a 26-km pilgrimage on Sep 21, starting at Seoji Village, and prayers in Gangwon Province for the beatification of Venerable Father Thomas Choi Yang-eop. Various dioceses across Korea are also hosting commemorations, including a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Servant of God Peter Lee Seung-Hoon in Incheon, and a thanksgiving Mass at the Angju Martyrs’ Shrine in Uijeongbu.
On Sep 22, the Andong Diocese will honor Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon, Saint Paul Jeong Ha-sang, and their companions, while the Jeju Diocese will host a competition in memory of its first martyr, Peter Felix Kim Gi-ryang. Out of approximately 10,000 Korean martyrs, the martyrdom of 103 Catholics is officially documented, with Andrew Kim Taegon being the first.
The legacy of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon
Christianity first arrived in Korea during the Japanese invasion in 1592. It later spread through an indigenous lay movement initiated by Yi Seung-hun, who was baptized in China in 1784 and began baptizing others upon his return to Korea. Andrew Kim Taegon, born to Christian converts, was baptized at 15 and became Korea’s first Catholic priest in 1845 after studying in Macau. Upon his return, he was persecuted by the Joseon Dynasty for his missionary work and was beheaded in 1846 at the age of 25. His father, Ignatius Kim, and lay apostle Paul Chong Hasang were also martyred. In 1984, St John Paul II canonized 103 martyrs, including Andrew Kim and Ignatius Kim, recognizing their unwavering faith in a society dominated by Confucian principles.
Thomas Choe Yang-eop: The “St Paul of Korea”
Thomas Choe Yang-eop, born in 1821 to devout Catholic parents, both of whom were later martyred, was ordained in 1849 alongside St Andrew Kim Taegon. Choe returned to Korea to serve amid persecution, traveling tirelessly to comfort and baptize persecuted Christians. Known as “the martyr of sweat” for traveling thousands of kilometers, baptizing and comforting persecuted Christians, he translated catechisms, composed liturgical hymns, and promoted devotion to the Cross and Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Bishop Siméon-François Berneux, martyred in Korea, called him “St Paul of Korea.” Choe’s contributions to the Korean Church left a lasting legacy before his death from typhoid in 1861.
A land of martyrs and growth
The Catholic Church in Korea began as a lay movement, growing despite intense persecution under the Joseon Kingdom (1392–1910), which viewed Catholicism as a threat to Confucian principles. Thousands of Catholics were killed during the 18th and 19th centuries, with the worst persecution in 1866 claiming 8,000 lives. Among the victims was Father James Zhou Wen-mo, who was sent by the Beijing diocese in 1794. Persecution ended after Korea signed a pact with France in 1886.
Japan’s invasion in 1910 and Korea’s liberation in 1945 after World War II led to the division of North and South Korea. During his 1984 visit, St John Paul II canonized 103 martyrs from the thousands killed during the 19th century. In 2014, Pope Francis beatified 124 more martyrs, recognizing the immense sacrifices made by Korea’s early Christians. Today, the Catholic Church in South Korea has grown significantly, accounting for 11.3% of the country’s 52.62 million population.
The Catholic Church in South Korea continues to oversee dioceses in North Korea, where religious activity is largely symbolic. The Diocese of Pyongyang in the north exists only on paper, as the Catholic presence there remains tightly controlled by the one-party totalitarian dictatorship. – La Croix International
