Maria de Naju

Marian Invocation of Naju (South Jeolla)

# # Tradition and devotional stories

Main data

Origin and history

# # Tradition and devotional stories

According to the devotional propaganda that emerged around Julia Kim, converts from Protestantism to Catholicism, this would have had a first mystical experience with Jesus in 1982, who would have appeared to him bleeding and asking for the conversion of sinners. According to these accounts, on 30 June 1985 (in some sources mentioned April 1985) a statue of the Virgin Mary located in her house in Naju would have started to shed tears, later also tears of blood. The proponents of devotion claim that the image would have cried tears (including tears of blood) about 700 times until 14 January 1992, and that the statue would have sprung fragrant oil for 700 consecutive days between 1992 and 1994.

From these so-called phenomena, stories of healing, of messages attributed to the Virgin and of mystical experiences (including so-called stigmas and Eucharistic phenomena) associated with Julia Kim were spread, giving rise to the popular name "Our Lady of Naju." These elements fall within the scope of unrecognized devotional tradition and come from groups and publications that favour the phenomenon, not from official documents of the Church.

# # Documented history and position of the Church

In view of the growing spread of the so-called "Naju miracle" and the flow of pilgrims, the archdiocese of Gwangju, in whose jurisdiction is Naju (South Jeolla province), opened canonical research on the facts since the late 1980s. In 1998, the then archbishop of Gwangju, Victorinus Youn Kong-hi, officially declared that there was no evidence of supernatural in the phenomena attributed to the image of the Virgin and to Julia Kim, and warned that accepting such stories as true could produce "a break in the unity of the faith of the Church."

The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Korea supported that conclusion, rejecting the authenticity of the alleged apparitions and miracles. In 2008, the Archbishop of Gwangju issued a stricter decree (referred to in the Catholic press and in subsequent notes), declaring no sobrenaturales the events of Naju and prohibiting organized veneration related to themwith express warning of possible canonical sanctions, including excommunication, for those who promoted devotion as a recognized sanctuary or apparition. Recent articles of Catholic information of 2022 reiterate the warning to the faithful not to participate in veneration activities linked to Naju or to present them as approved by the Church.

The image and the sanctuary

The sources favourable to Naju describe the original image as a statue of the Virgin Mary in a Western style, similar to other images of the Virgin of Fatima or the Immaculate Virgin; she presents herself to the Mother of God standing, with a robe and a blanket, hands together in a praying attitude. However, the official documents of the Church do not contain a detailed technical description (author, material, measures), and non-specialized sources are not unanimous; therefore, no consta with certainty el material original of the statue (although it is usually assumed to be an image of plaster or resin, of domestic use).

According to the devotional tradition, the statue would have been initially in Julia Kim's house in Naju and then moved to a property on a nearby hill, on the outskirts of the city, where a chapel and prayer spaces were set up which the promoters call "Naju sanctuary" or "Naju Marian sanctuary." However, for the Catholic Church this place is not a recognized sanctuaryThere is no diocesan decree to place it as a sanctuary, no title of national sanctuary, no minor basilica, no official recognition. The Catholic press explicitly speaks of a "Marian sanctuary" between quotes or as "so-called sanctuary," founded by Julia Kim and her followers in the 1980s, without ecclesial approval.

As a result, from the canonical point of view, it is only a private meeting centre of groups linked to Julia Kimwhose worship is prohibited by the diocesan authority. It is not known that any parish church or sanctuary canonically erected in Naju or the archdiocese of Gwangju is officially dedicated to "Our Lady of Naju."

Sponsorship and coronation

There is no canon recognition of Official patronage of "Mary of Naju" on the city of Naju, the diocese or the nation; it is also not known that she has been proclaimed patron of some parish or community with a decree of the ecclesiastical authority. Any mention of the Virgin of Naju as "patron" belongs exclusively to the private devotion of unapproved groups.

On the canonical coronationthere is no record in official ecclesial sources or in reliable Marian repertory that the image of Naju has received a canonical coronation approved by the Holy See or by the diocesan authority. It should therefore be clearly stated: does not contain a documented canonical coronation.

Party and devotion

In the official Catholic Church there is no recognized liturgical memory of "Our Lady of Naju" neither at the universal, national, nor diocesan level. The devotion that emerged around the phenomenon has proposed as significant dates on June 30 (first alleged tears) and other anniversaries linked to the events described by Julia Kim, but these are private celebrations, not included in approved liturgical calendars.

Several devotional chronicles state that, during the years of greatest spread (late 80's and 90's), many Korean faithful and foreign pilgrims came to the place, attracted by the stories of miracles, healing and spiritual messages. However, these inflow data come almost exclusively from sources that promote the phenomenon; and no official statistics of pilgrimages recognized by the archdiocese.

The archdiocese of Gwangju and the Episcopal Conference of Korea have explicitly warned that Catholic faithful should not participate in worship activities organized around Naju, or promote pilgrimages as if it were an approved Marian sanctuary. Therefore, any devotional practice linked to Naju, even if it includes fully Catholic elements (Eucharist, worship, Rosary, etc.), is performed. and against the provisions of the competent ecclesial authority.

Link to the Rosary

The devotional materials favourable to Naju often insist on prayer, repair, the Eucharist, conversion and prayer of the Rosary; in testimonies and dissemination programs are presented scenes of groups that pray the Rosary and