Banpo 4-dong Church

Overview

Banpo4dong Church is a parish belonging to Seocho District No. 12 in the West Seoul Region of the Seoul Archdiocese, established on September 25, 1998 after separating from Seocho-dong Church. Its patron saint is St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon. The Catholic Newspaper reported that the dedication ceremony for the new church was scheduled for October 26, 2003, presided over by Archbishop Jeong Jin-seok, and the parish homepage lists the church dedication date as October 26, 2003.

History

[Separation and establishment] The parish introduction on the parish homepage states that Banpo4dong Church was established in September 1998 after separating from Seocho-dong Church. Both the parish information on the homepage and the directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea list the establishment date as September 25, 1998. The parish history on the Banpo Church homepage states that Banpo Parish actively supported the establishment of churches in the area, including in Jamwon, Dongjak, Banpo4dong, Bangbae4dong and others.

[Temporary sanctuary period] The homepage recounts difficult times before the new sanctuary was built, when desks were used as an altar and a water jar was used as a holy water font in a temporary sanctuary. It says that thanks to the dedication and service of the first pastor, Father Park No-heon (John Chrysostom), and many parishioners, the new sanctuary could be dedicated in October 2003.

[Construction and dedication of the church] An article in the Catholic Newspaper dated October 19, 2003 introduced Banpo4dong Parish (pastor Father Park No-heon), which was to hold its dedication ceremony on October 26, 2003 at 10 a.m., presided over by Jeong Jin-seok, head of the Seoul Archdiocese. According to the article, the church was built on a site of 526 pyeong with a total floor area of 1,375 pyeong, with 3 above-ground floors and 2 basement floors, and included a sanctuary with 630 seats, an adoration chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, Daegeon Hall (multipurpose hall), sarangbang, meeting rooms and others. Instead of a wall, green space was created, and the basement 1-floor café sarangbang was directly connected to the apartments outside the church to serve as a space open to local residents. The parish, separated from Seocho-dong Parish in 1998, began construction in April 2000 and dedicated the church 2 years later; at the time it covered part of Seocho4dong and parts of Banpo1 and 4dong, with 3,862 faithful (1,359 households), the article stated.

[Architecture and space] The Catholic Newspaper article explained that the church interior emphasized traditional Korean beauty and religious character. The main entrance door of the main sanctuary marked the birth, ordination and martyrdom dates of the parish patron St. Kim Dae-geon, the side entrance was shaped like the swords once placed on martyrs in the Joseon era, and the relief on the wall behind the altar depicts hands joined in prayer. The ceiling and walls were designed to receive natural light, and the interior and floors were finished with natural wood flooring and hanji. It said a pipe organ by the German company Eisenbart would be installed on the 2-floor wall and used from the dedication ceremony. The parish overview on the parish homepage lists a site of 1,736.40㎡ (526.2 pyeong), total floor area of 4,594.81㎡ (1,392.4 pyeong), reinforced concrete structure with 2 basement floors and 3 above-ground floors, main sanctuary seats 464 on floor 1 and 166 on floor 2, and parking for 30 vehicles. By floor, basement floor 2 houses the electrical room, mechanical room and parking; basement floor 1 houses Daegeon Hall, meeting rooms (8), the Blessed Sacrament adoration chapel, kitchen, sarangbang and book café gallery; ground floor 1 houses meeting rooms (4), office, religious goods store, sarangbang, rectory and priest’s office; floor 2 houses the sanctuary (464 seats), infant room, sacristy and rectory; floor 3 houses the sanctuary (166 seats) and choir loft.

[Churchyard and sanctuary] The homepage introduces copper craftwork in the churchyard, where two arch-shaped pine trees greet visitors like a gate. It depicts patron St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon proclaiming the Gospel while interceding before the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus, with three Latin prayers inscribed. In the lobby before the sanctuary on floor 2, there are stained glass windows depicting Fr. Andrew Kim Dae-geon and the martyr saints, a holy image of Jesus of Mercy, and a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, and the wooden sanctuary doors bear Kim Dae-geon’s birth date (1821.08.21.), priestly ordination date (1845.08.17.), martyrdom date (1846.09.16.) and canonization date (1984.05.06.). The sanctuary is described with a marble altar and a wooden cross wrapped in relief symbolizing the flames of the Holy Spirit, beige-toned bricks and solid wood flooring, natural light through stained glass, a pipe organ, and a tabernacle to the right of the altar.

[Territory and statistics] The homepage lists the territory as part of Seocho4dong (Sampung APT, Hyundai 4-cha APT, Seocho Raemian APT, Acrovista), part of Banpo1dong, and part of Banpo4dong (Mido APT, MV APT, villas and shops around the church), and gives 2,381 households and 6,500 people as of December 2025. The directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea also lists 6,500 faithful and 0 Catholic mission chapels.

[Successive pastors] The past pastors listed on the homepage are the first Park No-heon, John Chrysostom (1998.09.25–2004.03.01), the 2th Kang Gwi-seok, Augustine (2004.03.01–2009.02.17), the 3th Park Dong-gyun, Donatus (2009.02.17–2014.02.18), the 4th Lee Jong-nam, Raymond (2014.02.18–2019.02.12), the 5th Park Yeong-sik, John the Apostle (2019.02.12–2024.02.13), and the 6th An Hyang, Amando (2024.02.13–present).

[Successive assistant and associate pastors] Listed on the homepage are the first Jeong Hyeon-yeong, Joseph (1999.12.03–2002.12.03), the 2th Lee Seung-min, Joseph (2002.12.03–2004.09.21), the 3th Kim Jong-seong, James (2004.12.30–2005.11.25), the 4th Kim U-jin, Paul (2005.11.25–2007.11.20), the 5th Lee Ju-ha, Stephen (2007.11.20–2009.12.01), the 6th Lee Dae-su, John the Apostle (2009.12.01–2011.02.21), the 7th Kim Deok-jae, Andrew (2011.02.22–2013.02.12), the 8th Kim Jae-hyeon, John (2013.02.12–2013.08.27), the 9th Bae Han-sang, Stephen (2013.08.27–2014.02.18), the 10th Jang Gyeong-geun, Andrew (2014.02.18–2015.09.01), the 11th Lee Gwang-hwi, Peter (2015.09.01–2017.08.29), the 12th Kim Gi-hwan, Luke (2017.08.29–2019.08.27), the 13th Na Yeon-su, Anthony (2019.08.27–2021.08.31), the 14th Kim Jin-ha, Methodius (2021.08.31–2022.08.30), the 15th Jang In-su, Andrew (2022.08.30–2025.09.02), and the 16th Seo Ung, Maurus (2025.09.02–present).

[Convent and parish-origin priests] The list of past sisters on the homepage includes the 1th head Hong Sun-sang, Rufina (2002.02.10–2005.02.10), the 2th Park Myeong-ja, Magdalene (2005.02.10–2006.02.08), the 3th Kim Jeong-ok, Gemma (2006.02.08–2007.02.03), followed by from the 1th branch head Kim Jeong-ok, Gemma (2007.02.03–2010.02.08) to the 6th branch head Lee Eun-yeong, Hyoju Agnes (2021.01.25–2022.01.30). Priests from the parish introduced on the homepage are Yu Hyeon-sang, Stephen (new-priest school in 2002), Kim Nam-ung, Francis (new priest in 2018), and Park Nam-jun, Michael (new priest in 2020).

Jurisdiction and affiliation

The online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the所属 diocese as Seoul Archdiocese, region and district as West Seoul Region, Seocho District No. 12, English name Banpo 4dong Catholic Church, establishment date 1998.09.25, patron St. Andrew Kim Dae-geon, and current pastor Fr. An Hyang, Amando.

Related places and people

• Seocho-dong Church: the parish from which Banpo4dong Church was separated in 1998.
• Banpo Church: the parish recorded in the Banpo Church parish history as having actively supported the establishment of churches in the area, including Banpo4dong.
• Fr. Park No-heon, John Chrysostom: the first pastor, who was pastor at the time of the new sanctuary dedication.
• Archbishop Jeong Jin-seok: reported by the Catholic Newspaper as scheduled to preside over the new church dedication ceremony on October 26, 2003.
• Andrew Kim Dae-geon: the patron saint of the parish.

References and sources

1. Banpo4dong Church, “Parish introduction”. Establishment, temporary sanctuary, church exterior and sanctuary introduction, successive pastors, assistants and sisters, parish-origin priests.
   https://banpo4ch.or.kr/about
2. Banpo4dong Church homepage main page. Establishment date, parish patron, church dedication date, site and total floor area, floor-by-floor overview, territory, number of households and faithful.
   https://banpo4ch.or.kr/
3. Catholic Newspaper, “Dedication of the new church of Banpo4dong Parish in Seoul” (October 19, 2003). October 26, 2003 dedication ceremony, church size, structure and interior features, pipe organ, construction begun in April 2000.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/200310190081992
4. Banpo Church, “Parish history”. Record that Banpo Parish supported the establishment of nearby churches including Banpo4dong.
   https://banpo.or.kr/history
5. Online directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, “Banpo4dong”. Affiliated diocese and district, establishment date, patron, number of faithful, pastor.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000112&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011