Cheongpa-dong Catholic Church

Overview

Cheongpa-dong Church is a church in Cheongpa-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, belonging to the Archdiocese of Seoul. Established in 1963 after separation from Jungnim-dong Parish, its patron is St. Paul. The campaign by women faithful living in Cheongpa-dong to promote a parish was the impetus for its foundation.

History

According to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, in the early 1960s women faithful in Cheongpa-dong purchased a small former Japanese-owned house to establish a parish, and after paying the full price, asked Father Shin In-sik, pastor of Jungnim-dong Parish, to divide the parish. Father Shin replied that division would be difficult because the site was only 77.7 pyeong, but the faithful petitioned Bishop Noh Gi-nam, Archbishop of Seoul, and obtained permission for the foundation.

Thus, on August 28, 1963, Cheongpa-dong Parish was established, receiving Cheongpa-dong 1, 2 and 3 from Jungnim-dong Parish, Hyochang-dong and Singongdeok 1-dong from Yongsan Parish, and the Wonhyo-ro 1-ga area from Samgakji Parish, and Father Kim Jeong-su took office as the first pastor. The directory of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea lists the date of establishment as August 13, 1963, differing from the encyclopedia. The history of Yongsan Church also records that with the establishment of Cheongpa-dong Parish in August 1963, the territory of Yongsan Parish was divided for the first time, with 1,050 faithful from Hyochang-dong and Singongdeok 1 and 2-dong transferred.

According to the encyclopedia, after taking office the first pastor set up a temporary altar beneath the wall on the hill of Hyochang Park, celebrated the first Mass, and began fundraising for a church building. In 1965, the parish purchased 18,500 pyeong at Ilyeong Peace Park (now located in Ilyeong-ri, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-gun, Gyeonggi-do) to create a church cemetery.

Architecture and Space

The encyclopedia records that Father Choi Chi-gyu, the 2th pastor, demolished the former Japanese-owned house used as a temporary church in May 1969 and began foundation work for a new church building. Only 1 years after construction began, a church of 1 and 2 stories took shape, and on June 28, 1970, the blessing was celebrated by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan. The large bronze cross on the facade, the granite altar, the tabernacle and other furnishings were provided through donations by the parish faithful.

Related Places and People

• Yakhyon Church in Jungnim-dong: the mother parish from which Cheongpa-dong Parish was separated
• Yongsan Church and Samgakji Church: parishes that transferred part of their territory at the foundation of Cheongpa-dong Parish
• Gongdeok-dong Church: a parish newly established in August 1969 that received 800 faithful from Cheongpa-dong Parish (encyclopedia)

References and Sources

1. Korean Catholic Encyclopedia, Cheongpa-dong Parish. Confirms the background of the foundation, the establishment on August 28, 1963, the transfer of territory, the first pastor, the church cemetery, and the blessing of the church in 1970.
   https://encyclopedia.catholic.or.kr/entry/5968
2. Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, Korean Catholic Directory (Cheongpa-dong). Confirms the establishment date of August 13, 1963 and the patron St. Paul.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000235&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011
3. Yongsan Church, History. Confirms the 1th division of Yongsan Parish following the establishment of Cheongpa-dong Parish in August 1963 and the number of faithful transferred.
   https://www.yongsanch.or.kr:8080/menu_group1/greeting.jsp?main_seq=1&sub_seq=88&sub_sub_seq=180