Marian devotion
At the foot of Mount Bakdalsan and by the fields of Paju is the parish of Glatan, dedicada a la Nativity of the Virgin Mary. The very date of its foundation, September 8, 2009, coincides with the liturgical celebration of this mystery.
Advocation: Nativity of the Virgin Mary.
Korean nombre of the patronazgo: The birth of the castle.
Temple: 광탄성당 · iglesia católica de Gwangtan.
Episcopal direction: 76-38 Simgung-ro, Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, Gyenggi-do 10948.
Cartographic access to the temple: 76-25 Simgung-ro.
Parish Foundation: 8 September 2009.
Current temple: offered to veneration in April 2012.
Jurisdiction: Catholic diocese of Uijeongbu.
Coordinates checked: 37.7776731, 126.8603325.
A parish born at the feast of Mary
La Conferencia Episcopal de Corea registers el patronazgo Venue, literally "Birth of the Mother of God" or "Nativity of Mary." The parish was erected on 8 September 2009, when the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Virgin.
Coincidence links the canonical identity of the community with its prayer calendar. Each parish anniversary refers to the humble beginning of Mary's life and to the hope that God makes grow without noise.
The temple between the mountain and the rice trees
A chronicle of the Korean Catholic press describes the church at the foot of the Bakdalsan, at the edge of the urban core and the cultivated lands. The green roof, red brick and garden make the building dialogue with the landscape.
The space of veneration has an approximate capacity for a hundred people. The wood, light brick and light input create a sober interior. Sixteen windows present major scenes of the Old and New Testament.
Altar, relic and prayer garden
On the axis of the presbytery are a roseton, a great bronze crucifix, the sacred and the altar. The latter retains a relic of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest and martyr.
Next to the temple there is a Marian garden with an image of the Virgin, a cross and the fourteen stations of the road to the open air. It is not a separate sanctuary: it is part of the parish ensemble and helps personal prayer.
From the foundation to the dedication of the building
The parish began in 2009 and the present temple was offered in April 2012. Years later its architecture appeared in audiovisual productions, which attracted visitors outside the community.
The meaning of Mary's Nativity
The Canon Gospels do not narrate the birth of the Virgin. The celebration comes from an ancient liturgical tradition and contemplates the beginning of the life of who, by God's grace, would be the mother of Jesus Christ.
The feast does not isolate Mary from the mystery of Christ. It welcomes how providence prepares in a concrete life the coming of the Saviour and teaches to receive with gratitude every human life.
Two access numbers, one temple
The episcopal directory publishes 76-38 Simgung-ro as a parish direction. The mapping identifies the building and its official phone at 76-25, within the same set of plots. Both data are kept for transparency, using the coordinates of the visible building and not a generic approach to the street.
verified location for the map
The search for the Paju in Paju returns the temple, the cartographic address and the parish phone. The marker is set at 37.7776731, 126.8603325on the building of the Catholic whole.
To visit and pray
The church receives visitors, but remains a parish of small dimensions. It is appropriate to confirm schedules, not to interfere in celebrations or activities and to respect both the garden and the neighbouring fields.
The visit can be accompanied by the Magnificat, Matthew 1, 1-16 and the joyful mysteries of the Rosary. It is also an occasion to pray for children, mothers and families waiting for a birth.
Prayer to the Nativity of Mary of Gwangtan
St. Mary, whose birth announced the closeness of salvation, keeps the parish of Gwangtan. Make the work of their families fruitful and serene the hearts of those who come to pray. Teach us to receive every life as a gift and to prepare with humility the ways of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Sources consulted
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