Iwol Church

Overview

Iwol Church is a church of the Cheongju Diocese located in Songnim-ri, Iwol-myeon, Jincheon-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do. It began when the Iwol Catholic mission chapel under Jincheon Church was elevated to a parish on June 24, 1995, and its patron saint is Saint Elizabeth (Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist).

History

〔Mission Chapel and Elevation to Parish〕 According to the Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia, Iwol Church was the Iwol mission chapel administered by Jincheon Church before being elevated to a parish on June 24, 1995. The Iwol mission chapel was established on July 9, 1956 and served Catholics in the Iwol area. The Cheongju Diocese parish information also lists the establishment date as June 24, 1995.

〔Church Building and Jurisdictional Changes〕 According to the Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia, the church building was begun in April 1999 and completed in June 2000. Its jurisdiction covered the entire Iwol-myeon area and the Deoksan-myeon area of Jincheon-gun, but in January 2005 the Deoksan mission chapel administered by Iwol Church was elevated to a parish and the Deoksan area was separated.

〔Activities〕 The Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia records activities such as encouraging non-believers to join the Church, volunteer visits to welfare facilities and hospitals, community service, bazaars by the mothers’ association, summer Bible school, feasts for the elderly, hiking events by the youth group, and athletic meets for young and middle-aged adults.

Architecture and Space

According to the Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia, the Iwol Church building has a site area of 997.00㎡, a building area of about 477㎡ and a total floor area of about 1,248㎡, with 1 basement floor and 4 above-ground floors. The same source includes photos of notices about the bell of the Iwol mission chapel and the bell of the Sinwol mission chapel at Iwol Church.

Related Places and People

• Jincheon Church: the parish that administered the Iwol mission chapel (Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia).
• Deoksan Church: the place separated when the Deoksan mission chapel administered by Iwol Church was elevated to a parish in January 2005 (Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia).
• Sinwol Mission Chapel: the bell of the Sinwol mission chapel is introduced in the Iwol Church entry of the Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia.

References and Sources

1. Academy of Korean Studies, Digital Jincheon Culture Encyclopedia “Iwol Church”. Establishment of the Iwol mission chapel in 1956, elevation to parish in 1995, church construction and size in 1999~2000, separation of the Deoksan mission chapel in 2005, activities.
   https://www.grandculture.net/jincheon/toc/GC02701116
2. Cheongju Diocese, parish information “Iwol Church”. Establishment date June 24, 1995, patron saint Saint Elizabeth.
   https://www.cdcj.or.kr/parish/parish/view/23043