Eomjeong Church

Overview

Eomjeong Church is a church in Eomjeong-myeon, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, belonging to the Diocese of Cheongju. It began as the Eomjeong Catholic mission chapel under the jurisdiction of Mokhaeng-dong Parish, and was elevated to a parish when a new church was built in 2015, and the patron saint listed in the Cheongju Diocese parish information is St. Lawrence.

History

[Mission Chapel Period] According to the Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia, in 1958, Teresa Han of Gyohyeon-dong Church stayed in Minae-ri, Eomjeong-myeon, evangelized, and purchased a house for use as a mission chapel. In 1964, a mission chapel building was built and completed at the present location, and Lee Gyu-hwan (Nugalta) worked for the development of the mission chapel as chairman. The same source gives the founding year as 1969. On September 15, 1971, when Mokhaeng-dong Church became independent, its affiliation changed from Gyohyeon-dong Church to Mokhaeng-dong Church.

[Elevation to Parish] The Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia states that on September 16, 2015, a new church was built at the present location at a total construction cost of over 19 hundred million won and it was elevated to Eomjeong Church. The Cheongju Diocese parish information lists the establishment date as August 17, 2010, so the dates in the two sources differ. The Mokhaeng-dong Parish entry in the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia describes the Eomjeong mission chapel as a large one among the mission chapels under its jurisdiction and states that there was a plan to elevate it to a parish in 2001, the 30 anniversary of the parish’s founding.

[Current Status] According to the Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia, as of 2016, the site area is 3,999 m², the building area is 797.87 m², and there are a church with 230 seats, an education hall, a rectory, and annex buildings.

Architecture and Space

The Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia gives the size of Eomjeong Church as of 2016 as a site area of 3,999 m² and a building area of 797.87 m², and states that there are a church with 230 seats, an education hall, a rectory, and annex buildings.

Related Places and People

• Mokhaeng-dong Church: The mother parish to which the Eomjeong mission chapel belonged. On September 15, 1971, when Mokhaeng-dong Church became independent, its affiliation changed from Gyohyeon-dong Church to Mokhaeng-dong Church (Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia).
• Gyohyeon-dong Church: The parish having jurisdiction at the time when Teresa Han began the mission chapel while evangelizing in Minae-ri, Eomjeong-myeon in 1958 (Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia).

References and Sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Chungju Culture Encyclopedia “Eomjeong Church.” Beginning of the mission chapel in 1958, completion of the mission chapel building in 1964, change of affiliation, new church and elevation in 2015, and size.
   https://chungju.grandculture.net/chungju/toc/GC01902147
2. Catholic Diocese of Cheongju, Parish Information “Eomjeong Church.” Establishment date August 17, 2010, patron saint St. Lawrence.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23069
3. Research Institute of Korean Church History, Korean Catholic Encyclopedia “Mokhaeng-dong Parish” (Vol. 4). Record that the Eomjeong mission chapel was under the jurisdiction of Mokhaeng-dong Parish and that there was a plan for elevation.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/2064