The Site of the Canonization of 103 Korean Martyrs

Overview

The Canonization Site of the 103 Korean Martyrs is a Catholic memorial in Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. On May 6, 1984, at Yeouido Plaza, Pope John Paul 2 celebrated the canonization of the 103 Blessed Korean martyrs together with a faith rally commemorating the 200 anniversary of the Korean Catholic Church, and a memorial stone marking the place stands there.

History

The 103 were martyred during the Gihae Persecution of 1839, the Byeongo Persecution of 1846, and the Byeongin Persecution of 1866. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture, 79 martyrs of the Gihae and Byeongo persecutions were beatified on July 5, 1925, and 24 martyrs of the Byeongin Persecution were beatified on October 6, 1968, at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The chronology of the Episcopal Special Committee for Beatification and Canonization of the Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference states that a movement to promote and honor the 103 Blesseds for canonization began after the beatification of 24 in 1968.

The progress of the canonization cause was as follows. On September 13, 1975, the National Council of the Lay Apostolate resolved to promote nationwide support activities and promotion projects for the canonization of the 103 Blesseds. In April 1976, at the spring plenary assembly of the Bishops’ Conference, a petition for canonization signed jointly by the Korean bishops was submitted to the Holy See, and on April 13, 1978, the cause for the 103 was formally accepted with the permission of Pope Paul 6. On July 17, 1980, the Preparatory Committee for the 200 Anniversary of the Founding of the Korean Catholic Church adopted the promotion of the canonization as a core project of the 200 anniversary commemoration.

The examination of a miracle required for canonization was the issue. According to the chronology, on May 28, 1982, the Korean Bishops’ Conference requested a dispensation from the miracle, but the Congregation for the Causes of Saints replied that a miracle was needed, and in March 1983 a renewed petition for dispensation written by the bishops was submitted to the Holy See. On June 7, 1983, Pope John Paul 2 granted the dispensation from the miracle examination, which the chronology describes as passing the most important hurdle for canonization. On July 13, 1983, 17 bishops petitioned that the canonization ceremony be held in Korea, and on September 27, 1983, the Pope approved and proclaimed in a special meeting the canonization of the 103 Blessed Korean martyrs. The Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture explains that the canonization cause was pursued by the Korean bishops and the 200 Anniversary Commemoration Committee through independent petitions to the Holy See beginning in 1980.

On May 3, 1984, Pope John Paul 2 visited Korea for the first time. According to the Catholic Times report, May 6 was designated by the 200 Anniversary Committee of the Korean Catholic Church as the “Day of Witness.” This canonization was the first canonization held outside St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome since the time of the Avignon Papacy. According to an article in the Good News archives, the declaration of canonization took place at 10:25 a.m., with 100 faithful gathered since 4 a.m. in the early morning, more than half of the 180 Catholics in all of Korea. The Pope declared the canonization in Latin, and those who became saints were 92 lay people (47 women and 45 men) and 11 clergy (including 10 missionaries of the Paris Foreign Missions Society).

The Catholic Times reports that on that day Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan read the brief biographies of the 103, everyone sang the “Litany of All Saints,” and after the declaration fanfares sounded and 103 doves flew up. 103 faithful received Holy Communion directly from the Pope. The Good News article states that it was reported to be the first time so many people had gathered in the country for a single religious event, that more than 1,000 journalists were present, and that the offertory reached 5 hundred million and 7,000 ten thousand won. It also says the chasuble worn by the Pope was the work of Kim Hee-jin, honorary holder of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage in knotting, and the sewing was done by the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. France, the homeland of 10, sent the largest pilgrim group (more than 320 people).

After the canonization, on July 2, 1984, the Korean Catholic bishops issued guidelines abolishing the Solemnity of the Blessed Korean Martyrs on September 6, keeping September 20 as the Solemnity of the Korean Saints, and observing the September Month of the Blesseds as the Month of the Martyrs. On October 14 of the same year, a Roman celebration for the canonization of the 103 was held in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, and on March 12, 1985, the Pope proclaimed the inclusion of the feast of the Korean martyr saints in the universal Roman calendar.

The memorial stone in Yeouido Park was prepared for the 25 anniversary of the canonization. The Committee for the Promotion of Martyrs of the Archdiocese of Seoul held a “Festival of Reconciliation, Sharing and Witness” in Yeouido on September 19, 2009, and according to the Korea Times report the program included the blessing of the memorial stone for the 103 canonization and a solemn Mass. The Yeouido Church guide to the canonization site states that on the front of the stone, under the title “Canonization Site of the 103 Korean Martyrs,” part of the declaration is engraved: “Light upon this land! We raise the 103 martyrs of Korea to the ranks of the saints, that the universal Church may venerate them. May 6, 1984, Pope John Paul 2.”

Religious significance and visiting context

The 103 consist of 93 Koreans (1 priests and 92 lay people) and 10 missionaries of the Paris Foreign Missions Society (3 bishops and 7 priests). The Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture summarizes by place of martyrdom that the Seosomun Crossroads outside the gate had the most with 44, followed by Saenamteo with 11, Danggogae with 9, Supjeongi in Jeonju with 7, Galmaemot in Chungcheong-do with 5, and Pyongyang, Daegu and Gongju with 1 each. The Yeouido Church guide states that during more than 100 years of persecution about 1 were martyred, of whom 79 were beatified in 1925, 24 were beatified in 1968, and all were canonized in 1984.

The Yeouido Church guide states that pilgrims’ stamps must be stamped at the History Museum of the Archdiocese of Seoul (Apostolic Hall).

Related places and people

• Yeouido Park: Yeouido Plaza where the canonization was held is now Yeouido Park.
• Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine, Saenamteo Martyrs’ Shrine, Danggogae Martyrs’ Shrine: the places where the most of the 103 saints were martyred.
• Andrew Kim Dae-geon and Paul Chong Hasang: the saints placed first by name in the declaration of canonization.
• Pope John Paul 2: visited Korea in 1984 and celebrated the canonization.
• Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan: then Archbishop of Seoul who read the brief biographies of the 103 at the canonization.

References and sources

1. Yeouido Church, Canonization Site of the 103 Korean Martyrs. Confirmed the canonization of May 6, 1984 and the inscription on the front of the memorial stone and the beatification years.
   http://ycatholic.or.kr/pages/sub37.php
2. Episcopal Special Committee for Beatification and Canonization of the Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Chronology of the 103 Saints: Canonization of the 103 Blesseds. Confirmed the progress of the cause, the dispensation from the miracle in 1983, the approval of canonization, and the schedule of the canonization in 1984.
   https://cbck.or.kr/koreanmartyrs/103-Saints/Timeline/3
3. Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture, 103 Saints of the Catholic Church. Confirmed the composition of the 103, the dates of beatification, the numbers by place of martyrdom, and the feast guidelines after 1984 and the Roman celebration.
   https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0056030
4. Good News Archives, 240 Anniversary of the Korean Catholic Church: the 40 Anniversary of the Canonization of the 103, scenes from that time. Confirmed the time, attendance, composition of saints, and first records on the day of the canonization.
   http://home.catholic.or.kr/pdsm/bbs_view.asp?Page=5&id=197273&menu=4831&num=99
5. Catholic Times, Special series for the 25 Anniversary of the Canonization of the 103 (1). Confirmed the proceedings of the canonization, the Day of Witness, and the history of the cause.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/200904290250669
6. Korea Times, September is the Month of Korean Catholic Martyrs (September 2009). Confirmed the schedule of the 25 anniversary event and the blessing of the memorial stone on September 19, 2009.
   https://www.hankookilbo.com/news/article/200909040059586118