Seongmodang

Overview

Seongmodang (聖母堂) is a Marian grotto shrine on the premises of the archdiocesan curia of the Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu. Built in fulfillment of the vow of Bishop Demange (An Sehwa), the first diocesan bishop of the Archdiocese of Daegu, it was consecrated on October 13, 1918 and designated as Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 29 of Daegu City on December 1990. It is the place enshrining the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes, patron No. 1 of the Archdiocese of Daegu.

History

In 1911, when the Vicariate of Daegu was separated and erected from the Vicariate of Joseon and Bishop Demange took office as its first apostolic vicar, he vowed that if the bishop's residence, the seminary and the expansion of the cathedral, all urgently needed by the diocese, were accomplished, he would dedicate the most beautiful place in the diocese to the Virgin Mary, build Seongmodang after the model of the Lourdes grotto, and have all the faithful make pilgrimages there.

2 years after the vow, on December 4, 1913, the bishop's residence was completed with the cooperation of Augustine Seo Sang-don of Daegu Parish (Gyesan Cathedral Parish) and others, and in October 1914, Saint Justin Seminary was built. However, the expansion of Gyesan Cathedral seemed difficult to achieve, so the construction of the Marian grotto also seemed likely to be delayed. At that time, when Father Sose, assistant priest of Gyesan Cathedral, fell critically ill and was on the verge of death, Bishop Demange made a new promise to dedicate the Marian grotto before expanding the cathedral if Father Sose were healed. After Father Sose recovered, construction of the Marian grotto began on July 31, 1917 and was finished on August 15, 1918, and in the same year the rite of consecration was held on October 13.

Welcome ceremonies for successive papal legates and celebratory events of the diocese have been held at Seongmodang. On May 5, 1984, Pope John Paul 2, who came to Korea for the 200th anniversary of evangelization, prayed to the Virgin Mary together with the diocesan clergy and religious in this Lourdes grotto. Since 1973, every year in May, the Marian month, each parish in the city of Daegu has held the ‘Night of Our Lady’ event at Seongmodang in the diocesan curia. It was designated as Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 29 of Daegu City on December 1990, and was newly refurbished through restoration work from February 18, 1997 to April 16. In 2009, it was designated as a Marian shrine spiritually affiliated with the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, and on October 2018, various events and a commemorative Mass were held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the dedication of Seongmodang.

Architecture and Space

Seongmodang, completed on the Solemnity of the Assumption in 1918, is the same in size and rock shape as the Lourdes grotto on the banks of the Gave River at the northern foot of the Pyrenees in France. It is placed facing north on the highest spot with the best view in the curia, with a wide lawn in front. Its exterior is brick and the interior of the grotto is cement, and the shape of the brick memorial frame surrounding the grotto was modeled on the Lourdes memorial grotto built by Pope Leo 13 in the Vatican Gardens. The interior was decorated like a rock cave, and, facing Seongmodang, a statue of Mary was enshrined at the upper right. The stone statue of Our Lady was funded by offerings from the French and Korean priests of the Diocese of Daegu at the time. The statue of Our Lady, in the form in which Our Lady of Lourdes appeared to the 15-year-old girl Bernadette, wears a white veil on her head with a blue sash, her hands joined in prayer with a rosary hanging from her arm, and golden roses blooming over her bare feet.

On the upper surface of the grotto the words ‘1911 EX VOTO IMMACULATAE CONCEPTIONI 1918’ are engraved. 1911 is the year the Archdiocese of Daegu was erected, and 1918 indicates the year in which all three wishes Bishop Demange asked for the diocese were fulfilled, and ‘EX VOTO IMMACULATAE CONCEPTIONI’ means ‘from a vow offered to the Virgin conceived without original sin.’

Religious Meaning and Context for Visiting

Seongmodang is a shrine frequently visited by the faithful and a historic site where various Catholic devotional events and religious rites are celebrated. It is told that the mother of Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, who had been taken as a student soldier in the colonial period, prayed at Seongmodang for the safe return of seminarian Kim Sou-hwan, and that Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan returned alive.

References and Sources

1. Gwandeokjeong Museum of Martyrdom, ‘Holy Sites of Daegu – 1. Seongmodang’. The vow of Bishop Demange, the construction of the bishop's residence and seminary in 1913 and 1914, the new promise concerning Father Sose, construction and consecration in 1917–1918, architectural form, the visit of Pope John Paul 2, the Night of Our Lady event, and restoration in 1997 were confirmed.
   http://www.daegusaint.org/p405/1926
2. Good News (Catholic), Shrines and Historic Sites ‘Seongmodang’. Designation as Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 29 in 1990, designation as a Marian shrine in 2009, and the 100th anniversary celebration of the dedication in 2018 were confirmed.
   https://m.catholic.or.kr/web/holyplace/?seq=2254
3. Catholic Archdiocese of Daegu, Shrines/Historic Sites ‘Seongmodang (Daegu Metropolitan City Tangible Cultural Heritage No. 29)’. It was confirmed that it enshrines Our Lady of Lourdes, patron No. 1 of the Archdiocese of Daegu, that it is the same as the Lourdes grotto in size and rock shape, and that the blessing ceremony was held on October 13, 1918.
   https://www.daegu-archdiocese.or.kr/page/shrine.html?idx=12&process=read&srl&view_option