Jungnim-dong Yakhyeon Catholic Church

Overview

Jungnim-dong Yakhyeon Church is a church of the Archdiocese of Seoul located in Jungnim-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, and is the first Western-style brick church built in Korea. Built in 1892, it was designated as Historic Site No. 252 on November 22, 1977, and its current national heritage name is ‘Seoul Yakhyeon Church.’ It was established as the second parish of the Archdiocese of Seoul and began as the parish with jurisdiction over the area outside the Four Great Gates.

History

‘Yakhyeon’ is the name of the hill pass leading from Mallidong to Seoul Station. The Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture explains that long ago there were many medicinal herb fields here, so it was called ‘Yakjeonhyeon (藥田峴)’ and this was shortened to Yakhyeon.

After freedom of religion was permitted on a limited basis following the 1886 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Korea and France, in 1887 a catechetical center under Myeongdong (Jonghyeon) Parish was established at Suretgol outside Seosomun (present-day Sunhwa-dong), and this became a Catholic mission chapel. In 1891, Father Doucet, parish priest of Myeongdong, secured church land at Yakhyeon overlooking the martyrdom site and held the groundbreaking ceremony on October 27. In the same year, Father Doucet took office as the first parish priest, and Yakhyeon Parish was founded as the second parish in Seoul.

The completion date is recorded differently in each source. The Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture and the Special Committee for Beatification and Canonization record completion in September 1892, while the church history of Yakhyeon Church records completion on November 6, 1892 and the dedication ceremony on April 23, 1893.

According to the church history, in March 1896 the first priestly ordination of the Korean Church was held in this church, and in 1901 the Songdo (Kaeseong) mission chapel and in 1905 the Haengju mission chapel were elevated to parishes and separated as independent. In 1905 a spire was raised on the bell tower, and in 1921 there was a renovation that removed interior partitions and replaced brick pillars with stone pillars. Restoration work began in November 1974 and was completed in April 1976.

On February 11, 1998, fire destroyed the parish interior and part of the cross tower (the National Heritage digital service records the year of the fire as 1998, and the Special Committee for Beatification and Canonization records that it was destroyed by arson). The Special Committee for Beatification and Canonization states that it was restored in the following year, 1999, and Good News states that after restoration it held a blessing ceremony again in September 2000. The parish name, ‘Yakhyeon’ at the time of foundation, was later changed to ‘Jungnim-dong’ and then in July 2007 ‘Jungnim-dong Yakhyeon Church’ was adopted as the official name.

Architecture and Space

Father Coste, a Frenchman, designed and supervised it. According to the Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture, it is a small church about 32 m long, 12 m wide, and with a 22 m high bell tower, with a three-aisle Latin-cross plan with the bell tower at the center of the facade and side aisles on both sides. The side windows are round-arched because the eaves are low, while the main entrance on the facade and the entrance windows of the projecting side sections form pointed arches, giving a Gothic appearance. The National Heritage digital service evaluates that, although not purely Gothic, as a brick-built Gothic church it became a model for later Korean church architecture.

Religious Significance and Visiting Context

This church stands on a site overlooking the execution ground outside Seosomun, which produced numerous martyrs during the era of Catholic persecution. The National Heritage digital service explains that this historic character of the place adds to the significance of this church in Korean Catholic history and architectural history. Good News introduces that Yakhyeon Church stands next to the Seosomun Outside Martyrs’ Shrine, and that in 1991, the 100 anniversary of the parish establishment, it built the Seosomun Martyrs Memorial Hall and opened it as the Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine Exhibition Hall on September 13, 2009.

Related Places and People

• Seosomun Outside Martyrs’ Shrine: the martyrs’ shrine immediately beside the church.
• Myeongdong Cathedral: Yakhyeon Church began as a mission chapel under Myeongdong (Jonghyeon) Parish.

References and Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Korean National Culture, ‘Seoul Yakhyeon Church.’ Confirmed the origin of the place name Yakhyeon, completion in September 1892, size and plan, bell-tower and interior alterations, and the 1974-76 restoration.
   https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0028064
2. National Heritage Administration, National Heritage Digital Service, ‘Seoul Yakhyeon Church.’ Confirmed designation as Historic Site No. 252 (1977.11.22), design and supervision by Father Coste, architectural features, and the 1998 fire and subsequent repair history.
   https://digital.khs.go.kr/heri/heriDetail.do?ctptNo=1331102520000&ctptUid=13898859676024300870
3. Jungnim-dong Yakhyeon Church, ‘Church History.’ Confirmed the 1887 mission chapel foundation, the 1891 groundbreaking, completion on November 6, 1892, the 1893 dedication, the 1896 priestly ordination, and the 1901 and 1905 separations as independent parishes.
   http://www.yakhyeon.or.kr/app/intro/history.html
4. Special Committee for Beatification and Canonization (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea), related shrine ‘Seosomun Outside Martyrs’ Shrine.’ Confirmed the establishment of Yakhyeon Parish and completion in September 1892, destruction by arson in 1998 and restoration in 1999, and the official name in 2007.
   https://cbck.or.kr/koreanmartyrs/Shrines/76
5. Good News (Archdiocese of Seoul), Catholic information ‘Archdiocese of Seoul > Seosomun Outside Martyrs’ Shrine.’ Confirmed the blessing ceremony in September 2000 after restoration and the construction of the memorial hall and exhibition hall in 1991 and 2009.
   https://maria.catholic.or.kr/mobile/sa_ho/list/view.asp?PSIZE=20&ctxtOrgNum=2292&curpage=&menugubun=holyplace