Yongsan Mission Station

History & origins

The exact year in which 용산 mission station was first established cannot be determined from the publicly available sources reviewed here. The Catholic Encyclopedia of Korea records that 청산본당 was established on September 1, 1959 after separation from 영동 and the parishes, that its territory included 용산면 in 영동군, and that 용산 was among its mission stations. This confirms that the local community developed within the rural pastoral network of 청산본당.

A more specific record appears in 1988. The encyclopedia notes that Fr. 강희성 (Felix), the eleventh pastor of 청산본당, celebrated the blessing of a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary at 용산 mission station in January of that year. This provides firm evidence that the mission station was an operating Catholic community with its own place of devotion by that time.

Because the publicly available church history provides only limited specific events for 용산 mission station, an earlier founding date should not be inferred without evidence. On the evidence currently available, its historical position within 청산본당 and the documented blessing of the Marian statue in 1988 are the clearest reference points for describing its past.