Saembat Church

History & origins

Catholic life in the Saembat area is much older than the parish itself. The Diocese of Chuncheon notes that a church-statistics report from 1882-1883 recorded 97 Catholics in Saembat, showing that a faith community had already formed there in the late nineteenth century. The Saembat community later passed through the jurisdiction of Jukrim-dong and Soyang-ro Parishes, and when Udu Parish was established in 1999, it came under Udu’s pastoral care.

On February 13, 2005, a quasi-parish was established around the Wit-Saembat Mission Station of Udu Parish, together with part of the territory of Hupyeong-dong Parish. As the number of faithful increased after the quasi-parish was established, part of the existing building was removed and the facilities were expanded. On September 15, 2006, the quasi-parish was elevated to Saembat St. Peter the Apostle Parish.

After the parish was firmly established, its pastoral care of surrounding areas also expanded. On May 21, 2014, Buksan Mission Station was founded with 25 households and 49 faithful, joining the existing Balsan Mission Station within Saembat’s local pastoral network. Saembat’s history is therefore the story of an old Catholic community that passed through several parish jurisdictions, became an independent parish, and then developed into a center caring for surrounding mission stations.