Archbishop Gallagher holds Mass at Seoul's shrine for early Korean martyrs

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of Relations with States of the Holy See, addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on Sept. 26, 2023. AFP-Yonhap

Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See's secretary for relations with states, has held a Mass in Seoul in memory of early Korean martyrs, the Seoul Archdiocese said Wednesday.

The Mass took place Tuesday at the Seosomun Shrine, which commemorates early Korean martyrs, with Archbishop of Seoul Peter Chung Soon-taick, Ivan Santus, a member of the Holy See diplomatic service and representatives from some 20 embassies in Seoul in attendance.

Archbishop Gallagher, who is visiting Korea from Nov. 20 to 23, to mark 60 years of Korea and Holy See relations, emphasized the need to have devotion and faith to help contribute to the common good and humanity.

His visit is "intended to be a concrete sign to continue the path traveled over 60 years of diplomatic relations, with the courage to trace new paths of peace," according to the Vatican. (Yonhap)