광천동 성당

History & origins

The Catholic community in Gwangcheon-dong took root in the refugee settlement that formed there after the Korean War. According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholics who had come from the northern part of Korea gathered in Gwangcheon-dong and began their religious life in the form of a mission community. With pastoral support from Bukdong Parish, they secured land and a building for the mission.

In 1968 the community came under the jurisdiction of the newly established Imdong Parish. As the number of Catholics increased, the need for an independent parish became clear. The current Archdiocese of Gwangju record and the body of the encyclopedia entry both give November 16, 1970 as the establishment date of Gwangcheon-dong Parish. A church and rectory were completed on December 1, 1971, providing a stable base for parish life.

Continued growth led to the separation of Unam Parish from Gwangcheon-dong in 1980. The history of Gwangcheon-dong Parish shows how a small faith community born amid postwar migration and settlement became an independent parish and later contributed to the formation of another local parish.