Catholic abbey makes Waegwan worth a stop
Weekend visitors can stay in one of the buildings at the abbey./Courtesy of St. Benedict Waegwan Abbey
By Kim Se-jeong
For non-Catholics, Waegwan in North Gyeongsang Province is a place with little significance. The small town near Daegu was once a town for the Japanese during the colonization (1910-1945).
Since Korea’s liberation, the town has become a home to U.S. military base. It hardly made the news until last year, when the town was considered a potential destination for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense deployment.
Nakdong River cuts through the town and not so far from the downtown is the Chilgok dam, one of the 16 small dams constructed for the Four Major River Restoration Project.
For Catholics, Waegwan holds a huge significance.
A statue of the Virgin Mary
The town is home to the St. Benedict Waegwan Abbey, which was founded during the Korean War (1950-1953). It draws hundreds of Catholics from all over Korea to experience the monastic life for just weekend or for months.
Yet, it also makes a good destination for non-Catholics because of its beauty, sense of tranquility and monastic experience.
St. Benedict Abbey originally opened in Seoul in 1909. During the Korean War, the monks at the abbey fled south and temporarily settled in Waegwan in 1952. After the ceasefire in 1953, the Catholic church sent more than 20 German monks to Waegwan to serve, starting the construction of the abbey.
The abbey is where Catholics come to take refuge in the secular life and give their life back to God with a simple way of living.
The property, which has an old brick cathedral, modern buildings, grass-covered land, vegetable gardens and a carpentry station, gives visitors a sense of calm and tranquility.
The old brick cathedral is closed for visits but can still be admired for its exterior beauty.
The main sanctuary is in a new building on the hill next to the old cathedral; the prayer service is open regularly, and the schedules are available online and on the site.
Separate white buildings on the property serve as monasteries for weekend and longer-term visitors.
On the outskirt of the property are farms where all kinds of vegetables and fruits grow. St. Benedict Abbey reiterates the importance of physical activity as a way to love God.
An old church at the St. Benedict Waegwan Abbey built after the Korean War (1950-1953) in North Gyeongsang Province. /Korea Times Photos by Kim Se-jeong
At one corner of the farms, people can see a farm of cactuses. Beside growing vegetables, monks in the abbey also print books, and make candles and furniture and others. All the farms make the property a good place for a walk.
The abbey is easy to get to.
It’s only about a 10-minute walk from Waegwan Station for the Gyeongbu Line — KTX doesn’t stop at Waegwan Station. Visitors are recommended to take a slower train. The brick cathedral makes the abbey easily spotted from afar.
As you leave, please drop by a souvenir shop where you can buy books, religious arts and crafts, organic oil cosmetics and German sausages made by monks living in the abbey.
No reservation is needed for a casual visit.
For those who wish to spend the night at the abbey or take part in prayer ceremonies, reservations are required. Visit osb.or.kr. for more information and reservations.