Sinjeju Catholic Church

Overview

Sinjeju Church is a parish in the Siseobu District of the Catholic Diocese of Jeju, located in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and its patron saint is introduced as Saint Michael the Archangel. It began in 1980 as the 'Sinjeju Catholic mission chapel' under Seomun Parish and was elevated to a parish in 1981.

History

According to the parish official website, as the Sinjeju district for a population of 10 ten thousand was formed in Yeon-dong under the urban planning of Jeju City in 1976, it took the first step of evangelization as the 'Sinjeju Catholic mission chapel' in January 1980. The faithful, united in their wish for elevation to a parish, newly built a chapel at the site of the present convent in just 1 years, and it is said that in the same year it was elevated to a parish with 'Saint Michael the Archangel' as its patron.

The diocesan website states that it started on July 30, 1980 as the 'Sinjeju Catholic mission chapel' under Seomun Parish and was elevated to 'Sinjeju Parish' on October 25, 1981. The records of the two sources differ regarding the time of the parish foundation and the start of the mission chapel (parish website: mission chapel started in January 1980; diocesan website: mission chapel started on July 30, 1980).

According to the diocesan website, on February 1, 1984 it took over the 'Hagwi Catholic mission chapel' from Gwangyang Parish and placed it under its jurisdiction. Later, it newly established and separated 'Nohyeong Parish' on September 11, 1997 and 'Yeon-dong Parish' on August 9, 2001, and as the Hagwi Catholic mission chapel was elevated to a parish on January 25, 1998, it came to have its present jurisdiction. Its present jurisdiction is described as Yeon-dong, part of Nohyeong-dong, Dodu 2-dong (Sinseong Village) and part of Ora-dong.

Architecture and Space

The diocesan website states that the patron of the old church dedicated in 1981 was 'Saint Michael the Archangel,' but that when the present church was dedicated in 1988, the patron was changed to the 'Descent of the Holy Spirit' (in the parish information section of the same diocesan page, the patron saint is listed as Saint Michael the Archangel). The parish website explains that, as the number of the faithful grew rapidly due to rapid urbanization and population inflow, the present church, consisting of a sanctuary in the shape of a ship symbolizing the 'Church journeying through the world' and a spire symbolizing a lighthouse that illuminates the darkness of the world, was completed in 1988.

Related Places and People

• Seomun Parish: The parish to which the Sinjeju Catholic mission chapel belonged
• Gwangyang Parish: The parish that transferred the Hagwi Catholic mission chapel to Sinjeju Parish
• Nohyeong Parish, Yeon-dong Parish and Hagwi Parish: Parishes separated from Sinjeju Parish or whose jurisdictional areas were divided

References and Sources

1. Catholic Diocese of Jeju, Sinjeju Parish. Confirms the mission chapel start and parish elevation dates, the transfer of the Hagwi Catholic mission chapel, the separation of Nohyeong and Yeon-dong Parishes, the church dedication in 1988 and the patron change, and the jurisdiction.
   https://www.diocesejeju.or.kr/church_westcity04
2. Sinjeju Church, Introduction. Confirms the formation of the Sinjeju district, the mission chapel start in January 1980, the chapel construction and parish elevation, and the completion of the present church in 1988 and its architectural symbolism.
   https://sinjejucatholic.kr/intro