Faith in Christ born and maintained by Korean laity and sealed by the martyrs of the 19th century, with shrines of pilgrimage.
Documented history and memory received
Catholicism entered Korea in a unique way: it was Korean laity who, at the end of the 18th century, after studying Christian books from China, embraced faith in Christ without the presence of priests, baptizing each other. The Korean Church was thus born of the initiative of the faithful themselves. During the 19th century, fierce persecutions were unleashed, which spread about 10,000 martyrs. Of these, 103 - including St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean priest, and the secular catechist St. Paul Chong Hasang - were canonized by St. John Paul II in Seoul in 1984; in 2014 Pope Francis beatified another 124. Many were beheaded in Jeoldusan ('hill of the cut heads'), today sanctuary and museum. Devotion to Jesus Christ, the Eucharist and his Passion sustained these martyrs. The Church fully venerates her memory on September 20 and the Korean shrines are a destination for world pilgrimage.
Who venerates the memory
The look is directed to Jesus Christ and to the mystery of his Incarnation, Passion, Resurrection or reign. The image, monument, procession or custom does not act by its own power: it serves the memory of the Gospel and leads to prayer, sacraments, conversion and charity.
History, tradition and discernment
Sanctuary and martyrdom documented by the Korean Church. This is a Christological and martyrdom fact sheet, not an exclusive local advocation of an image of Jesus. The tab retains the full memory received, but does not convert a legend, a witness or a believing interpretation into a historically demonstrated fact.
Celebration and devotional life
Festivity or main time: September 20 (San Andrés Kim Taegon and colleagues).
No particular promises are documented. Devotion is lived within the Christian faith and not as an automatic guarantee of protection, healing or prosperity.
Location on the map
The marker points to Shrine of the martyrs of Jeoldusan · Seoul (South Korea). The coordinate was contrasted with open mapping and institutional identification of the place.
Main source
Episcopal Conference of Korea. Comparative mapping with OpenStreetMap / Nominatim and institutional identification linked.
Para orar
Lord Jesus, through the faith of the martyrs of Korea, our fidelity increases.
Image credit
Sanctuary of the martyrs of Jeoldusan. Photo: Michael Sean Gallagher, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons.