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About this place
Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church, at 288 Changgyeonggung-ro in Jongno-gu, is the district-seat parish of the Archdiocese of Seoul’s 4th Jongno District. Established on April 29, 1927, it is dedicated to Saint Benedict and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. As one of northern central Seoul’s oldest parishes, it has played an important role in the growth of the local Church and in the formation of several daughter parishes.
The present church was designed by architect Lee Hui-tae and completed in 1960. It was registered as a National Registered Cultural Heritage property in 2006. Hyehwa-dong is therefore both a living parish community and a site that reflects the development of twentieth-century Korean Catholicism and modern church architecture.
History & origins
The roots of Hyehwa-dong Parish reach back to the Benedictine monastery established in Baekdong, today’s Hyehwa-dong, in 1909 and to the Catholic community of the mission station outside Dongso-mun. When the Benedictines moved to Deokwon in 1927, Bishop Gustave Mutel acquired the monastery property and established a parish there. Fr. Peter Chizallet was appointed the first pastor on April 29, making Baekdong the third parish of the Seoul Vicariate.
In 1929 a former monastery woodworking shop was converted into a church. Hyehwa Kindergarten opened in 1937, and the parish expanded its educational and missionary work. As the community grew, daughter parishes including Jegi-dong in 1942 and Mia-ri in 1945 were separated. After the Korean War, plans began for a new church to replace the aging and cramped building.
The foundation stone for the new church was laid in 1958, and the present church and rectory were completed and dedicated in May 1960. Designed by architect Lee Hui-tae as a hall church, the building underwent later additions and repairs while retaining its architectural significance. It was registered as National Registered Cultural Heritage in 2006, linking the parish’s long pastoral history with Korea’s modern architectural heritage.
Korean Catholic Places Encyclopedia
Hyehwa-dong Catholic Church: history and architecture
Read about the place's history, architecture, people, and events in the Korean Catholic Places Encyclopedia.
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Official website: https://aos.catholic.or.kr
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