16 August 2014
□ Beatification Mass of Paul Yun Ji-Chung and his 123 Martyr Companions, 10 AM
In the morning of Aug.16, Pope Francis will offer the Mass of Beatification of Paul Yun Ji-Chung and his 123 Martyr Companions at Gwanghwamun Plaza, Seoul. It is extraordinary that Pope himself offers a beatification Mass on the land of martyrs. Customarily, a rite of Beatification has been held in Holy See with Perfect Cardinal of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints presiding on behalf of Pope.
That day, Pope will make a parade to Gwanghwamun Plaza, greeting Korean believers, and offer a Beatification Mass at the altar installed in Northern part of Gwanghwamun Three-Way Intersection. Before the Beatification, Pope will visit Seosomoon Holy Ground, which has the largest number of martyrs executed in Korea and where the 27 among the 124 Blessed to be beatified today lost their lives therein.
H. E. Andrew CardinalYeomSoo-Jeong and H.E.PietroCardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness will concelebrate the Beatification Mass standing next to Pope. In the Mass, there will be almost 100 members of Episcopate including 8 Papal entourages, 60 Bishops from various countries, 30 members from Korean Episcopate with H.E. Nicholas Cardinal Cheong, Emeritus Archbishop of Seoul & Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang. Other attendees include 1,900 priests and 170,000 lay members of Catholic Church. In addition, 400 families of Sewol Ferry Accident Victims are invited as well. At the Event before ceremony, Pianist Paik Kun-Woo will play “St. Francis Preaching to the Birds” from “The Two Legends” by F. Lizst.
□ Meeting with People with Disabilities, 4:30PM
Pope Francis will meet almost 200 Kkottongnae family members including children with disability at”House of Hope” of Kkottongnae, Eumseong, Chungbok Province, 4:30 PM. At “House of Hope,” He will be welcomed by 40 children with disability of“House of Mother Mary,” 20 adults with disability of“House of Hope,” 8 old patients of“House of Salvation,” 8 babies of“House of Angel” waiting for adoption, 4 seriously ill patients, and 75 volunteers and ascetics. There, a child with disability will present an embroidered portrait of Pope that the child made and KimInja Cecilia, who suffers cerebral palsy, will present him a paper crane folded with her feet as gift.
After that, Pope will head to “Tae-ah-dongsan(Memorial for Aborted Babies)” commemorating aborted babies in open topped car.There, Pope will be welcomed by priests from each diocese, who are devoting to pro-life activities, and Br. Lee, Guwon.Pope will offer a prayer for life in silence.
□ Meeting with Ascetics, 5:15PM
After Pope meets people with disability, he will move to “Training Institute of Love” to meet 4,000 male and female ascetics.BrotherShin Sang Hyun, President of Conference of Major Superiors of Korean Men’s Religious Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life and Mother Lee Kwang Ok, President of Association of Major Superiors of Religious Women in Korea, will welcome Pope Francis. Upon greetings by them, Evening Prayer(Liturgy of the Hour: Daily recitation of the Liturgy of the Hours is a canonical obligation for priests and ascetics.) will be offered with Pope Francis in Korean. Then, he will make a speech to ascetics in Italian.
□ Meeting with the Laity, 6:30PM
Next, Pope Francis will head to “Spirituality House of Love” to meet 150 laity members of Church.He will be welcomed by Mr. KilJoong-Kwon, President of Catholic Lay Apostolate Council of Korea and he will offer a speech (in Italian) and have a Q & A session with participants.
