Yeosan Martyrs' Shrine

History & origins

The history of martyrdom in Yeosan took shape amid persecutions that continued after the Byeongin Persecution. According to the Diocese of Jeonju, during the Mujin Persecution of 1868 many Catholics arrested in surrounding districts were brought to Yeosan and killed at the prison, Supjeongi, the marketplace, and areas near the bridge, through beatings, hanging, the baekjisa method, and other forms of execution. Because historical records differ on the exact number of martyrs, this account does not impose a single figure, but focuses on the well-established fact that Yeosan was a major site where many Catholics were martyred.

After the persecutions ended, the memory of the martyrs continued through local oral tradition and stories of burial places. The Diocese of Jeonju records that in 1983, on the basis of reliable oral testimony, the remains of ten Yeosan martyrs, including Kim Seong-hwa James, were excavated and reinterred in the cemetery at Cheonho Shrine. This was an important step in connecting local memory with diocesan commemoration and pilgrimage.

The shrine landscape was gradually developed as well. Several martyrdom sites were linked through pilgrimage routes centered on Yeosan Parish, and Supjeongi Martyrdom Site was designated a Jeonbuk provincial monument on October 19, 2007. Today's Yeosan Martyrs' Shrine is distinctive because it joins together places and memories scattered throughout the town rather than centering on a single monument, inviting pilgrims to reflect on both the martyrs' faith and the history of Catholic persecution in Korea.