Udu Catholic Church

History & origins

Udu St. Martin Parish was established on September 8, 1999, after being separated from Soyang-ro Parish. The new parish responded to the growth of northern Chuncheon, with Sinsau-dong and the lower Saembat area of Sinbuk-myeon forming its original pastoral territory.

Soon after its establishment, the community prepared a prefabricated church building for worship. It was dedicated by Bishop John Chang Yik on January 23, 2000. In 2005, the Upper Saembat Mission Station was separated from Udu Parish, and the Catholic community centered there later developed along its own path.

As the prefabricated building aged, the need for a new church became increasingly urgent. After years of preparation, the parish completed a new church, which was dedicated by Bishop Lucas Kim Woon-hoe on November 11, 2019. The dedication marked an important transition for the community, providing a more permanent liturgical home two decades after the parish was founded.

The architectural changes at Udu Parish correspond closely to stages in the community’s growth. A prefabricated church allowed the newly established parish to settle quickly, but over time a more permanent liturgical space became necessary. The dedication of the new church in 2019 was therefore more than a replacement of buildings; it visibly marked two decades of growth and consolidation since the parish was founded.