Marian devotion
Inside the diocesan Curia of Incheon a sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. It was born of the desire of the faithful to have a stable place to ask for Mary's intercession and was specifically directed towards conversion, sanctification of families and reconciliation between North and South Korea.
Advocation: Our Lady of Fatima.
Local name: Copyright(c) 2014. HANSAE LANGUAGE SCHOOL. All Rights Reserved.
Place: Curia of the diocese of Incheon, Songnim-dong, Incheon, South Korea.
Official address: 1 Bakmun@@
Jurisdiction: Catholic diocese of Incheon.
First pastoral letter: 13 December 2015.
Start of works: October 13, 2017.
Dedication: 13 October 2018.
Image: The size of Our Lady of Fatima made in Fatima, Portugal.
Classification: sanctuary and official place of pilgrimage.
A petition from the faithful
The initiative responded to many Catholics from Incheon who wanted a diocesan space to go to Mary. The second bishop of the diocese, Bonifacio Choi Ki- san, welcomed this request and published on December 13, 2015 a pastoral letter on the creation of the Seongmodang.
Monsignor Choi promoted the selection of the land and approved the project before he died unexpectedly on 30 May 2016. His successor, Bishop John Bautista Jung-chul, took over the work so that pastoral intention would not be interrupted.
The centenary of Fatima
The first stone was blessed on October 13, 2017, during the centenary of the apparitions of Fatima. Exactly one year later, on October 13, 2018, the sanctuary was solemnly dedicated.
The central image, 2.3 meters high, was made in the Portuguese sanctuary of Fatima itself. Its provenance confirms that the identity of the place is not a generic Marian denomination: it is expressly linked to Our Lady of Fatima and her call to prayer and conversion.
Architecture to gather and host
The Seongmodang takes a great vaulted form that symbolizes nature and the universe. The central area is 11.55 metres high. The project incorporated outer and interior spaces for the faithful, sacristy, sound media and a permanent confessional.
Next to the sanctuary was an area of rest called "Rosa Madang," whose name evokes the Rosary. Architecture seeks that the pilgrimage not be a hasty visit, but time to listen, to reconcile sacramentally, to celebrate the Eucharist and to pray.
Conversion and peace for all Korea
The purpose proclaimed during the construction takes on three great intentions: personal conversion and those who have moved away from the faith; sanctification of families; and reconciliation, unity and peace between North and South Korea.
The Rosary occupies a central place. The diocese wanted perseverant prayer to keep alive the hope of a reconciled peninsula, without turning devotion into a political slogan. Peace also begins in the heart, in forgiveness and in the return to God.
Ecclesial recognition
The Episcopal Conference of Korea incorporates it into its national inventory under the name "Place of pilgrimage of Mary (Seongmodang)." The international directory GCatholic records it as a Latin rite sanctuary of the diocese of Incheon and included it among the Jubilee churches of 2025.
Verified location
The episcopal directory confirms the direction of the curia in 1 Bakmun-ro. The complete location code published for the sanctuary, 8Q98FMC2+4F, delimit a cell of about 14 meters. Its center is 37.4703125, 126.6511875 (WGS-84). A contemporary Korean map of the sanctuary places the marker in the same sector of the curia, at the end of the parking area.
Prayer to Our Lady of Fatima of Incheon
Our Lady of Fatima, Mother who calls for conversion and prayer of the Rosary, receives the prayer of the families of Incheon. It returns hope to those who have moved away from faith, heals divisions and prepares ways of reconciliation between the North and the South. Make us humble servants of peace and deliver us to the merciful Heart of Jesus. Amen.
Sources consulted
- Episcopal Conference of Korea: inventory and official address of the pilgrimage site.
- Catholic Times of Korea: first stone, project, advocation and pastoral intentions.
- Catholic Times of Korea: chronology, dedication, image and architecture.
- Directory of the Korean Catholic Church: current direction of the Curia of Incheon.
- GCatholic: Sanctuary status, jurisdiction and location code.
- Photographic and cartographic record of the sanctuary after its dedication.
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