South Chungcheong Province: land of martyrs

Designed by Father Emile Devies in 1922, Asan's Gongseri Shrine Catholic
Church is the first church in Chungcheong provinces.

This is last in a series about Catholic trails that Pope Francis will visit during his Aug. 14-18 Korea trip.

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Korea's Catholic Church is noted for the sacrifices of martyrs in its early days.
In less than one week, Pope Francis will arrive in Seoul. Korea's holy grounds are an important part of his Aug. 14-18 trip.

The pope will visit Seoul's Myeongdong Cathedral and Seosomun Martyrs' Shrine as well as Solmoe Holy Ground, Haemi Martyrdom Holy Ground and Haemieupseong Fortress in South Chungcheong Province, the cradle of Catholicism in Korea.

The history of Roman Catholicism in Korea dates back to the 16th century when Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) began trades with Western countries.

Pope Francis will travel to the Solmoe Catholic Holy Ground in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, on the second day of his Korea trip on Aug. 15.
/ Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

Solmoe Holy Ground is the pontiff's destination on Aug. 15 to attend the 2014 Asia Youth Day.

The pope will meet young Catholics of Asia at the sacred place and the birthplace of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first Korean Catholic priest, who was later martyred. Kim was canonized as a saint along with 102 other Korean martyrs when the late Pope John Paul II visited Korea in 1984.

Kim's family was devout Catholics ― there were 11 martyrs from the family, casting back to his great grandfather Jin-hu. The house was restored by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Daejeon in 1996 and designated as South Chungcheong Provincial cultural heritage in 1998.

The name "solmoe" comes from the Korean word for small hill of pine trees. In addition to the birthplace of the martyr, there are his statue, a shrine, memorial hall and Solmoe Arena on the holy ground. The church is designed after the ship Kim took to return to Korea from Shanghai, where he was ordained the first priest of Korea in 1844.

The Gothic-style Gongseri Shrine Catholic Church was home to the early missionaries in the 19th century.

The Solmoe Arena commemorates the martyrdom of Saint Kim and his fellow Catholics during in Byeongin Catholic Persecution in 1866. Kim was beheaded at a sandy site near the Han River in Seoul.

"Saint Kim strived for equality and freedom of Christianity, said Father Paul Lee Yong-ho, rector of the Shrine of Solmoe. "He was a person ahead of his time, speaking five languages including Latin, English, French and Chinese and was a theorist."

The pope is scheduled to visit the Haemi Martyrdom Holy Ground and the Haemieupseong Fortress to meet with Asian bishops and closing mass for Asian Youth Day on Aug. 17.

Haemi Martyrdom Holy Ground is the site where over 1,000 Catholics were buried alive between 1866 and 1882. The sacred place is also called "Yeosutgol," as the martyrs prayed and sang "Yesumaia" (Jesus Maria) as they confronted death.

A statue of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first Korean
Catholic priest, at Solmoe Catholic Holy Ground

While the noble Catholics were taken to Gongju where governor was and nameless commoners were taken to Haemieupseong Fortress, one of the military base in South Chungcheong Province. As the number of Catholics increased exponentially, the soldiers felt difficulty in executing them one by one. Instead, they tied up the martyrs and buried them alive in a big hole outside the West Gate of the fortress at once. Some of the skeletons found at the site are on display at the Memorial Hall.

Despite the brutal history, the Haemieupseong Fortress is one of the most well-preserved town fortress in Korea. Built in 1491, the fortress has walls over 2 kilometers with three gates ― South Gate, East Gate and West Gate.

More than 1,000 Catholics were buried alive between 1866 and 1882 at Haemi Martyrdom Holy Ground. Pope Francis will visit Haemieupseong Fortress to meet with Asian bishops on Aug. 17.

Beautiful churches

Though the pontiff cannot pay a visit to every and each of holy ground and Catholic churches in South Chungcheong Province, the region has rich history and sacred places open for pilgrims based on the long history of martyrdom.

The Sinri St. Daveluy Historic Site is a Catholic holy ground often referred as the "Catacombs of Joseon." The place was home to the largest Catholic community in 1860s. According to Father Martin Luc Huin who arrived in Joseon in 1865, all 400 residents of Sinri were already Catholics. Record shows that at least 42 of the residents were martyred. However, the village was reduced to rubbles after the Byeongin Catholic Persecution.

The thatched-roof house in the site is the birth place of Saint Thomas Son Ja-seon, a member of Son family clan of Sinri, which was restored in 2004.

Saint Marie Nicolas Antoine Daveluy, the fifth bishop of Joseon, also resided in Saint Son's house during his term of 21 years in Korea. St. Daveluy from France served as a pivot in spreading gospel in South Chungcheong area and documented the propagation of Catholic in Korea and martyrdom, which later became the foundation of Korean Catholic history.

A memorial of St. Daveluy was completed in May, ahead of Pope Francis' visit. The memorial has an observation tower which provides a great view of Naepo area, including the towns of Yesan, Asan, Dangjin, Haemi, Deoksan, Hongseong and Seosan.

The Hapdeok Catholic Church is one of the first Catholic churches in Korea, dating back to 1890. The Yangchon Catholic Church, served by Father Jean Curlier, is the forerunner of the Hapdeok Church, which was transferred to current location in Hapdeok in 1929 by French priest Philippe Perrin.

The church is built in Gothic style with bricks, woods and two bell towers, A large painting of the Holy Family in the church was donated by a cousin of Perrin.
Built on the hill of Gongse-ri in 1894, the Gongseri Catholic Church was the home to the early missionaries in the 19th century. Current Gothic-style building is designed by Father Emile Devies in 1922.

The church also has a shrine for 32 martyrs from Naepo area. There three graveyards of prosecuted martyrs as well as tombstones of 29 martyrs on the ground. The Shrine Museum showcases some 1,500 artifacts of Korean Catholics such as the first tabernacle of the Catholic Diocese of Daejeon and relics of the martyrs.

The church has gorgeous architecture matching to its long history. It was designated as the most beautiful church in Korea by the Korea Tourism Organization in 2005. Many films and television dramas were filmed here, including most recently "Fated to Love You" and "Angel Eyes" to "You're Beautiful" (2009) and "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War" (2004).

Travel information

◆Solmoe Holy Ground
Address: 132 Solmoe-ro, Ugang-myeon, Dangjin City, South Chungcheong Province
Phone: (041) 362-5021
Website: www.solmoe.or.kr

◆Haemi Martyrdom Holy Ground
Address: 274-22 Eumnae-ri, Haemi-myeon, Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province
Phone: (041) 688-3183
Website: www.haemi.or.kr

◆Sinri St. Daveluy Historic Site
Address: 150 Sin-ri, Hapdeok-eup, Dangjin City, South Chungcheong Province
Phone: (041) 363-1359
Website: www.sinri.or.kr

◆Hapdeok Catholic Church
Address: 275-1 Hapdeok-ri, Hapdeok-eup, Dangjin City, South Chungcheong Province
Phone: (041) 363-1061

◆Gongseri Shrine Catholic Church
Address: 10 Gongseriseongdang-gil, Inju-myeon, Asan City, South Chungcheong Province
Phone: (041) 533-8181
Website: www.gongseri.or.kr