Martyr's Daughter Yuseom's Shrine

Overview

The Tomb of Yu Seom-i, Daughter of a Martyr, is a shrine of the Masan Diocese located in the Songgok Village area of Naegan-ri, Geoje-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, and is the grave of Yu Seom-i, the youngest daughter of Blessed Yu Hang-geom Augustine, known as the “Apostle of Honam.” When her father was martyred in the Shinyu Persecution of 1801, Yu Seom-i was exiled at the age of nine as a government slave to Geoje Island, lived celibate all her life, and died at the age of 71. The church in charge is Geoje Church.

History

According to an article of the Jeonju Diocese, after Yu Hang-geom and his family were all martyred in the Shinyu Persecution of 1801, there were three children under 15 years of age who could not be executed under the law of the time. Yu Seom-i (9 years old) was exiled to Geoje Island, Yu Il-seok (6 years old) to Heuksan Island, and Yu Il-mun (3 years old) to Sinji Island. Yu Seom-i left Chonam-i for distant Geoje Island as a slave on the road of exile, arrived at the Geoje government office, and by the favor of the Geoje magistrate became the adopted daughter of an old woman living in the town and lived a noble life celibate until the age of 71. The Catholic Times explains that Yu Seom-i is the person who, when her father Yu Hang-geom was martyred by dismemberment outside the South Gate of Jeonju, was exiled at the age of nine as a government slave of the Geoje district under the collective punishment of the Great Ming Code.

The Episcopal Commission for Beatification and Canonization of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea introduces Yu Seom-i as the youngest daughter of Blessed Yu Hang-geom and Servant of God Shin Hui, and writes that according to records she lived all her life as a virgin a martyr-like life and died in 1863 at the age of 71. Geoje Citizen News reported that it was confirmed that Yu Seom-i was exiled as a government slave of the Geoje district at the age of 9, ended her life at 71 years of age, and that her tombstone was erected by Ha Gyeom-rak, who took office as Geoje magistrate in 1862. The newspaper adds that in a period when ordinary commoners could not erect tombstones, it can be surmised that Magistrate Ha’s interest was considerably high.

According to the Catholic Times, the documentary record on Yu Seom-i was accidentally discovered by Dr. Ha Seong-rae Augustine, former adviser to the Suwon Diocesan History Research Institute, while writing a commentary on the collected works “Saheon Yujip” of Ha Gyeom-rak (1825-1904), who served as magistrate of Geoje Island, and was published in the April issue of “Church and History” of the Korean Catholic History Research Institute. Based on the record of “Saheon Yujip” that “Tomb of the seventy-one-year-old virgin” was carved on a rock beside Yu Seom-i’s grave, Dr. Ha Seong-rae and Professor Seo Jong-tae Stephen visited Geoje Island in February but could not find the grave. Afterwards, Father Kim Jin-so, honorary director of the Honam Church History Research Institute, told the circumstances to Father Heo Cheol-su, pastor of Okpo Parish on Geoje Island, and Father Heo together with parishioners found residents who knew the grave’s location.

On May 16, 2014, Father Kim Jin-so, Professor Seo Jong-tae and Father Heo Cheol-su confirmed the tombstone engraved “Tomb of Yucheoja” (Catholic Times). Professor Seo judged that although the mound had almost disappeared and looked like flat ground because no one had cared for it for a long time, the location was certain as the tombstone had been confirmed, and said further research was needed on how the “tomb of the virgin” in the documents came to be engraved as “tomb of Yucheoja.” Geoje Citizen News reported that Yun Seong-bu, village head of Songgok Village, found this grave based on the story of “Yucheoja” handed down orally in the village, and that it was only confirmed at the end of last April. Meanwhile, the Bishops’ Conference material records the year the gravesite was found on Geoje Island as 2015, so sources differ.

According to the Catholic Times, Father Heo Cheol-su said that through local elderly people it could also be learned that Yu Seom-i introduced the food culture and songs of Jeolla Province to Gyeongsang Province. Geoje Citizen News also writes that according to oral tradition Yu Seom-i is known to have introduced Jeolla food culture and songs to Geoje.

According to the Bishops’ Conference, in January 2019 the Jeonju Diocese mixed part of the grave soil from Yu Seom-i’s grave into the family joint tomb at Chimyeong Mountain. An article of the Jeonju Diocese writes that this gravesite is designated as one of 167 Korean Catholic pilgrimage shrines and is visited by pilgrims from across the country. In 2020, parishioners of Ujeon Church in Jeonju, feeling pity for the dry appearance of the mound without grass, brought soil, water and grass from Chonam-i Shrine and planted them on the mound on November 15 and sprinkled water, and Father Kim Hwan-cheol, the senior priest who started the development of Chonam-i Shrine, accompanied them and celebrated Mass in front of the gravesite. This was accomplished with the support of Father Kim Hun, pastor of Ujeon Church, the consideration of Father Kim Seong-bong in charge of Chonam-i Shrine, and the permission of Geoje Church, the church in charge.

According to No. 2541 of the Masan Diocesan bulletin “Catholic Masan” (November 27, 2022), on November 12, 2022 the blessing of the cross at Yu Seom-i’s gravesite and a thanksgiving Mass were celebrated, presided over by Father Choe Bong-won James, vicar general of the diocese. The event was organized by Father Lee Sang-won Benedict, dean of the Geoje district, and more than 50 faithful participated. As the path up to the gravesite was narrow and steeply inclined, access-road and bridge construction was carried out with the help of Geoje City, and the diocesan Lumen Association prepared land of about 5 pyeong at the entrance of the access road and dedicated a twin cross identical to the cross of the Yu Hang-geom family grave at Chimyeong Mountain in Jeonju. Geoje Citizen News reports that believers of Geoje Church erected signposts so the cemetery could be easily found.

Significance for faith and visiting context

The Catholic Times reported that with the discovery of Yu Seom-i’s tomb, the fact that Yu Hang-geom and his children kept and spread the faith as “Apostles of Jeolla Province” became more clearly revealed. Geoje Citizen News explains that the Shinyu Persecution, which drove Yu Seom-i out as a government slave, was not simply a persecution of Catholicism but a political incident staged by the Byeokpa faction to remove the Sipa faction. The Jeonju Diocese introduces this place as an essential pilgrimage course visited by many pilgrims from across the country.

Related places and people

• Chimyeong Mountain Shrine: the shrine in Jeonju where Yu Hang-geom and his family martyrs are buried together, into which part of the grave soil from Yu Seom-i’s grave has been mixed.
• Yu Hang-geom Augustine: Yu Seom-i’s father, a blessed martyred in Jeonju during the Shinyu Persecution.
• Shin Hui: Yu Seom-i’s mother, whose beatification as Servant of God is being promoted.
• Ha Gyeom-rak: the Geoje magistrate who erected Yu Seom-i’s tombstone and left a record in the collected works “Saheon Yujip.”
• Chonam-i Shrine: the shrine of the Jeonju Diocese whose soil and grass were brought by Ujeon Church parishioners to plant on Yu Seom-i’s burial mound.

References and sources

1. Episcopal Commission for Beatification and Canonization of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, related shrine Chimyeong Mountain Shrine. Confirmed Yu Seom-i’s family line and death, the notation of the year the gravesite was found, and the mixing of soil in 2019.
   https://www.cbck.or.kr/koreanmartyrs/Shrines/50
2. Jeonju Diocese, Geoje Yu Seom-i Tomb, mound with soil, water and grass from Chonam-i Shrine (December 4, 2020). Confirmed Yu Seom-i’s exile and life, the pilgrimage-shrine designation, and the mound repair in 2020.
   https://www.jcatholic.or.kr/bbs/board.php?bo_table=interbro_special&theme=interbro&wr_id=322
3. Catholic Times, Discovery of the tomb of Yu Seom-i, daughter of Yu Hang-geom, candidate for beatification (May 21, 2014). Confirmed how the documentary record was found and the tombstone confirmation.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/201405210090448
4. Geoje Citizen News, The ill-fated woman Yucheoja, seeing the light after 200 years (July 11, 2014). Confirmed the process of finding the grave, the circumstances of erecting the tombstone, and oral tradition.
   http://www.geojesiminnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=2694
5. Gohyeon Church of the Masan Diocese, Blessing of the cross and thanksgiving Mass at the tomb of Yu Seom-i, daughter of a martyr (Catholic Masan No. 2541, November 27, 2022). Confirmed the cross blessing in 2022 and the improvement of the access road.
   http://goh.cathms.kr/xe/board_kHzP14/19584