By Kang Seung-woo
The Vatican will recognize three historic Catholic places in Seoul Friday as international pilgrimage destinations, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday.
Taking advantage of the achievement, the first of its kind in Asia, the city government has unveiled tour programs linking the three sites with neighboring tourist attractions, hoping they will become landmarks like the Camino de Santiago in Spain, one of the world's most famous pilgrimage paths.
The proclamation ceremony is scheduled to take place at 10 a.m. in Seosomun Park, central Seoul, and Archbishop Rino Fisichella from the Vatican will officially bestow the recognition.
The park area is one of Korea's most symbolic Catholic sites, as the largest number of Catholics was martyred there during the Joseon Kingdom.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, apostolic nuncio to Korea Alfred Xuereb, Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan and Korean Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung will also attend the event.
The three pilgrimage routes are the Seosomun Pilgrimage Route, the Bukchon Pilgrimage Route and the Hangang Pilgrimage Route. The plan to designate the routes was initiated by Yeom in 2013 ahead of Pope Francis' landmark visit to Korea in 2014.
The pilgrimage routes are divided into three sections: the Good News Road, the Eternal Life Road and the Unity Road, comprised of 24 places with a combined length of 44.1 kilometers.
“The Camino de Santiago is visited by tourists from all over the world as well as pilgrims, contributing to regional tourism,” said Joo Yong-tae, director-general of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau.
“As the Seoul pilgrimage routes are enough to make various stories, they are of high potential as tourist attractions. The city government will try its best to establish the routes as a global tourist destination.”