Marian devotion
In the centre of Wonju there is a neighborhood called Ilsana-dong that should not be confused with the large homonymous districts of Goyang. There, a parish invokes Mary as Queen of Peace and is called to turn that prayer into reconciliation, hospitality and care of those who suffer.
Official address: The Queen of Peace.
Temple: 일산동성당 · iglesia católica de Ilsan-dong.
Address: 26 Dongjingol 1-gil, Ilsan@@
Parish Foundation: April 19, 1976.
Mother Parish: catedral de Wondong, Wonju.
Jurisdiction: The diocese of Wonju, North Wonju district.
Coordinates checked: 37.3510184, 127.9418827.
The patronage is documented
The Episcopal Conference of Korea records About Us, the Queen of Peace, as patron of Ilsana-dong. The Korean Catholic directory corroborates the advocation, the founding date and the direction.
The title does not come from a local apparition or an added name for this page. It is the official ecclesial dedication of the parish.
Why Mary is called Queen
The royalty of Mary depends entirely on Christ. Jesus reigns by serving, giving up life and overcoming sin and death; Mary shares her glory as mother and disciple.
Pius XII explained this royalty in relation to the divine motherhood and cooperation of Mary in the work of her Son. It is not about political power or domination over others.
Queen of a peace that demands justice
Christian peace is not imposed silence or a mere absence of conflict. He needs truth, justice, responsible forgiveness and protection from those who have suffered.
Invoking Mary Queen of Peace commits to rejecting lie, humiliation and indifference. Reconciliation does not force a victim to return to an insecure situation.
Foundation from Wondong
The parish was erected 19 April 1976, separated from Wondong, the historic cathedral parish of Wonju. The chronicle of Wondong confirms that the new community was part of the pastoral reorganization of the city during that decade.
The separation brought the Eucharist, catechesis and community attention to a sector that already needed its own parish.
Continuity with a long-memory church
Wondong has a history that dates back to the 19th century and played a significant role in the ecclesial and social life of Wonju. Ilsana-dong inherited part of that tradition at birth from its territory.
A new parish does not copy the entire identity of the mother. He receives an inheritance and lives in his own neighborhood, under a patronage and specific needs.
A community in the urban heart
Ilsana-dong is located in a central area of Wonju, near residential neighborhoods, public services and a large university hospital. The episcopal directory expressly includes the hospital within the parish territory.
This territorial mention does not mean that the parish runs the health centre. It indicates a pastoral proximity to the sick, family members and workers who live days of uncertainty and care.
Mary Queen of Peace with the pain
In a hospital environment, peace cannot be presented as a guarantee of healing. It can mean presence, listening, sacramental accompaniment and help to face difficult decisions with dignity.
The community must respect the medical science, confidentiality and religious freedom of each person.
The Cross and the Icon of the JMJ
The official route of the Cross of the World Youth Day and the Icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani by the diocese of Wonju included Ilsana-dong among the 29 and 30 January 2026.
These symbols prepare the World Youth Day in Seoul 2027 and travel communities to call for prayer, mission and meeting.
The Cross and Mary do not compete
The joint presence of the Cross and Icon expresses an essential relationship: Mary remains with Christ and leads to him. The veneration of the icon does not move the centrality of Easter.
For a parish dedicated to the Queen of Peace, the Cross recalls that Christian reconciliation goes through suffering and surrender, not the denial of wounds.
A stage within a diocesan pilgrimage
Ilsana-dong did not receive the symbols in isolation. The route began in Wondong, passed through numerous parishes and religious communities of Wonju and continued towards the diocese of Chuncheon.
The itinerary draws an ecclesial network: each community temporarily keeps the symbols and gives them to the next one, making a shared faith visible.
Youth as protagonists
The World Youth Day should not reduce young people to the public from major events. The pilgrimage invites you to listen to them, to entrust them with responsibilities and to accompany their questions.
Mary, a young man from Nazareth who responded freely to God, offers a model of discernment, courage and service, not passivity.
Peace on the Korean peninsula
In Korea, the title Queen of Peace has an immediate resonance. Separate families, military tension and unresolved memories make reconciliation a persistent task.
Prayer must be accompanied by responsible language, protection of human rights and refusal to turn entire peoples into abstract enemies.
Fraternity as a way
Pope Francis recalled in Brothers that social peace is labor and artisan. It is built by involving people, communities and institutions, not only through statements.
A parish can contribute by welcoming the alien, caring for the sick, mediating conflicts with prudence and educating for a memory without hatred.
Pray for those who support healing
The proximity to the hospital invites you to remember doctors, nurses, auxiliary staff, researchers, cleaners and family caregivers. Many face tiredness, duel and difficult decisions.
A ten of the Rosary can be offered by them without replacing work support, rest, health resources and fair conditions.
verified location for the map
The Episcopal Conference places the temple in 26 Dogjingol 1-gilWonju. The mapping search by the Korean name and the city returns 37.3510184, 127.9418827, coinciding with the parish compound.
The marker has not been placed in the generic center of the neighborhood or in the hospital included within its territory.
Do not confuse with Ilsan de Goyang
In Korea, "Ilsan" often evokes Ilsandong-gu and Ilsanseo- gu, the large districts of the city of Goyang, north-west of Seoul. This parish is not there.
It's in. Ilsan@@, Gangwon province, within the diocese of Wonju. Direction, jurisdiction and coordinates eliminate ambiguity.
To visit and pray
It's an active parish. The schedules can be changed and must be confirmed before they go. During the liturgy you must remain silent and ask for permission before photographing people.
One can be offered for patients and health care, one for young people who prepare the JMJ and another for the reconciliation of the Korean peninsula.
Prayer to Mary Queen of Peace of Ilsana-dong
Mary, Queen of Peace, guards the parish of Ilsana-dong and the city of Wonju. He remains with the sick, strengthens those who care for them and accompanies the young people on their way to Christ. Teach us to seek a peace based on truth, justice and mercy. It is committed to the reconciliation of Korea and all peoples. Amen.
Sources consulted
- Episcopal Conference of Korea: official record and patronage.
- Mobile Episcopal Directory: direction, foundation, jurisdiction and territory.
- Korean Catholic Directory: Parish corroboration.
- Wondong history: separation of Ilsana-dong in 1976.
- JMJ Seoul 2027: official route of the Cross and Icon by Wonju.
- Pius XII: Ad Caeli Reginam.
- Pope Francis: Fraternity and Peace Building.
- Mapping verified by name and address.
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