Yongsan Catholic Church

Overview

Yongsan Church is a church in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, belonging to the Archdiocese of Seoul. Beginning as a Catholic mission chapel in the Samhojeong area where a diocesan clergy cemetery was established in the late 19 century, it was elevated to a parish in 1942, and the diocesan clergy cemetery is located within the church grounds. The directory of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea records its patron as the Immaculate Heart of Mary and its supervising congregation as the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.

History

According to the history on the Yongsan Church website, in March 1887 land in the Samhojeong area was purchased and developed as a diocesan clergy cemetery, and in May 1890 the Samhojeong (Yongsan) Catholic mission chapel with about 150 faithful was established in the inner quarters of the former Samhojeong pavilion. In November 1891, when Yakhyeon Parish (now Jungnim-dong Parish) was established, the chapel came under Yakhyeon Parish. In July 1926, the dedication ceremony of the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was held (building area 30 pyeong, land area 60 pyeong).

The parish history states that the parish was established in January 1942 and Bishop A. Larribeau took office as the first pastor, and that at that time the parish used the mission chapel church as its church building and the Sacred Heart School as its rectory. The Catholic Times reports the parish establishment date as January 25, 1942, and the history records that in January 2002 the parish establishment date was confirmed as January 25. The directory of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea gives the establishment date as January 1941, which differs from the parish history.

In December 1954, the dedication ceremony for the new church was celebrated by Bishop Noh Gi-nam (cement brick structure, 95 pyeong). In January 1963 the church was expanded to a total of 129 pyeong, and in August of the same year, when Cheongpa-dong Parish was established, 1,050 faithful in Hyochang-dong and Singongdeok 1 and 2-dong were transferred. Later, the jurisdiction was divided with the establishment of Gongdeok-dong Parish in August 1969 and Sinsu-dong Parish in September 1971.

Architecture and Space

The Yongsan Church history records that a groundbreaking Mass for the new church was celebrated in March 1988 and the dedication ceremony for the new church was held in August 1989. The new church consists of 1 basement floor, 3 above-ground floors, with a total floor area of 501 pyeong. The Catholic Times reports that within the church grounds there is a diocesan clergy cemetery where the graves of the early priests of the Korean Church and the unknown martyrs are gathered.

Significance of Faith and Visiting Context

The Catholic Times assesses that Yongsan Parish is surrounded by the Saenamteo, Seosomun and Danggogae shrines and thus is closely related to the historic sites of the Korean Catholic Church. According to the history, in March 1991 the Danggogae Martyrs' Shrine was transferred to Samgakji Parish and the jurisdiction was readjusted, and in June 2010 it was designated as a Marian pilgrimage site and entered into a spiritual bond with the Liberian Papal Basilica of St. Mary in Rome. In June 2012, an event marking the 70 anniversary of the parish establishment was held.

Related Places and People

• Yakhyeon Church in Jungnim-dong: the parish established in 1891 that supervised the Samhojeong mission chapel
• Cheongpa-dong Church, Gongdeok-dong Church and Sinsu-dong Church: parishes established by division from the territory of Yongsan Parish
• Danggogae Martyrs' Shrine: the shrine whose jurisdiction was transferred to Samgakji Parish in March 1991

References and Sources

1. Yongsan Catholic Church, History. Confirms the establishment of the clergy cemetery in 1887, the establishment of the Samhojeong mission chapel in 1890, the establishment of the parish in 1942, the church dedications in 1954 and 1989, the division of Cheongpa-dong Parish in 1963, and the designation as a Marian pilgrimage site in 2010.
   https://www.yongsanch.or.kr:8080/menu_group1/greeting.jsp?main_seq=1&sub_seq=88&sub_sub_seq=180
2. Catholic Times, Publication of the history of the first 60 years of Yongsan Parish in Seoul (February 16, 2003). Confirms the parish establishment date of January 25, 1942, the diocesan clergy cemetery on the grounds, and the connection with the Saenamteo, Seosomun and Danggogae shrines.
   https://www.catholictimes.org/article/200302160066252
3. Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, Catholic Directory of Korea (Yongsan). Confirms the establishment date of January 1941, the patron Immaculate Heart of Mary, and the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres.
   https://directory.cbck.or.kr/OnlineAddress/Catholic/DetailInfo.aspx?cgubn=c&char=all&code=201000195&gubn=4&gubn2=all&gyogu=201000011