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The Historical Significance of Beatification at GwangHwaMoon
The Beatification of Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions will be held in GwangHwaMoon by Pope Francis. They are the first generation of Korean Catholic history, and their sons and daughters have been already beatified in 1984. Many Koreans were martyred for their Catholic religious beliefs from the end of 18th century to the mid 19th century of ChoSun dynasty. This cherishes not only religious significance, but also social significance of new community, new life and new value realization. GwangHwaMoon, where the martyrs will be beatified, is a historical place with the martyrs blood, sweat and tears. Pope Francis presiding over the beatification Mass at GwangHwaMoon, currently the center of the city, is very significant because the place was the symbol of Chosun Dynasty having most important national institutions located.
1) Hyung-Jo - The Ministry of Justice
Hyung-Jo, the Ministry of Justice, responsible for legislation, confinement, and slavery was located where currently SeJong Art Center is. Seven martyrs among the 103 Martyr Saints of Korea were questioned and seven martyrs among the 124 Martyr Servants of God of Korea about to be beatified, including the father of Fr. Kim, DaeGunm - the first Korean priest, JeJun(Ignatius) Kim, HyoIm (Columba) Kim, and HyoJu (Agnes) Kim were also were imprisoned here and decapitated around Seosomoon area later.
| 1) The Saints and the servants of God questioned at the Ministry of Justice | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Persecution | Name | Baptismal Name | Martyrs site | Status |
| ShinYu(1801) | Choi, PilGong | Thomas | around Seosomoon | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Choi, PilJe | Peter | around Seosomoon | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yoon, WoonHye | Lucia | around Seosomoon | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Chung, ChulSang | Charles | around Seosomoon | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Kim, ChunAe | Andrew | JeonJu | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yu, HwangGum | Augustine | JeonJu | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yoon, JiHun | Francisco | JeonJu | the servant of God |
| Kihae(1839) | Lee, GwangHun | Augustine | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Nam, MyungHyuk | Damian | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, HyoIm | Columba | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, HyoJu | Agnes | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, JyeJoon | Ignatius | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Chung, JangWoon | John | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Choi, Hyung | Peter | around Seosomoon | Saint |
2) The Right Police Bureau
The Right Police Bureau which was stationed where currently Il-Min Museum and the Dong-Ah IlBo is located was responsible for criminal arrest. Twenty two among the 103 Martyr Saints of Korea and five among the 124 Martyr Servants of God of were martyred here and the Left Police Bureau. They were all either hanged or flogged to death.
| 2) The Saints and the servants of God persecuted at the right and the left Police Bureau | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Persecution | Name | Baptismal Name | How Martyred | Status |
| EulMyo(1795) | Yoon, YuIl | Paul | PoChungOk, death by flogging | the servant of God |
| EulMyo(1795) | Choi, InKil | Matthias | PoChungOk, death by flogging | the servant of God |
| EulMyo(1795) | Chi, Hwang | Sabas | PoChungOk, death by flogging | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Shim, AhKi | Barbara | PoChungOk, death by flogging | the servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Kim, YiWoo | Barbara | PoChungOk, death by flogging | the servant of God |
| KiHae(1839) | Choi, HyungHwan | Francisco | PoChungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Yu, DaeChul | Peter | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Chung, KookBo | Protasius | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Chang, SungJip | Joseph | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Lee, Barbara | Barbara | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Kim, Lucia | Lucia | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Lee, Catherine | Catherine | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Cho, Magdalen | Magdalen | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Yu, Joy | Cecilia | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Kim, Teresa | Teresa | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Lee, Agatha | Agatha | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Min, KeukGa | Stephen | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Chung, HwaKyung | Andrew | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Huh, Yim | Paul | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Kim, SungWoo | Anthony | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| KiHae(1839) | Nan, KyungMoon | Peter | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| ByungOh(1846) | Han, YiHyung | Lawrence | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| ByungOh(1846) | Chung, ChulYum | Catherine | PochungOk, death in prison | Saint |
| ByungOh(1846) | Woo, SoolYim | Susane | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| ByungOh(1846) | Lim, ChiBaek | Joseph | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| ByungOh(1846) | Kim, YimYi | Teresa | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
| ByungOh(1846) | Lee, GanNan | Catherine | PoChungOk, strangled | Saint |
3) UieKeumBoo1
Currently, the headquarters of Standard Chartered Korea is located at the ChongGak subway station and it’s only about 10 meters away from GwangHwaMoon. This place is where UieKeumBoo, the Supreme Court, was located in ChoSun Dynasty. Sixteen out of the 103 Martyr Saints of Korea and nine out of the 124 Martyr Servants of God of Korea were interrogated and martyred here. The first Chinese priest Fr. MoonMo Chu, Bishop Joseph Imbert, Fr. Manbant and Fr. Chastan were one of them and they were all decapitated and their heads were hanged at the military gate. YakJong (Augustine) Chung and his son HaSang(Paul) Chung were also decapitated around the SeoSoMoon area.
| 1) The Saints and the servants of God interrogated at the UieKumBoo1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Persecution | Name | Baptismal Name | How Martyred | Status |
| ShinYu(1801) | Fr. Chu, MoonMo | James | SaeNamTuh | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Choi, ChangHyun | John | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Chung, YakJong | Augustine | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Hong, KyoMan | F. Xavier | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Choi, PhilGong | Thomas | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Hong, NakMin | Luke | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Kang, KyungBok | Susanne | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yu, HwangKum | Augustine | JeonJu | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yoon,JiHun | Francisco | JeonJu | the Servant of God |
| Kihae(1839) | Bishop Joseph Imbert | Lawrence | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Fr. Manbant | Peter | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Fr. Chastan | Jame | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Yoo, JinKil | Augustine | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Chung, HaSang | Paul | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Cho, ShinChul | Charles | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Nam, YiKwan | Sebastian | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, JeJoon | Ignatius | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Bishop Francois Berneux | Simeon | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Fr. Bretenieres | Justus | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Fr. Beaulieu Louis | Bernard | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Fr. Dorie Henry | Peter | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Nam, JongSam | John | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Choi, Hyung | Peter | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Chung, UieBae | Mark | SaeNamTuh | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Chung, JangWoon | John | around Seosomoon | Saint |
4) The governor of prison
Right across the UieKeumBoo, the governor of prison was located where currently YungPoong Bookstore is located. Many Martyr Saints and the Martyr Servants of God were imprisoned and tortured here from a month to four years. HoYoung(Peter) Lee among the 103 Martyr Saints of Korea was imprisoned for four years and died in here. Total of seventeen martyrs were imprisoned here and they were all decapitated around the SeoSoMoon area later.
| 1) The Saints and the servants of God imprisoned at the governor of prison | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year of Persecution | Name | Baptismal Name | How Martyred | Status |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yu, HwangKum | Augustine | JeonJu | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Yoon, JiHun | Francisco | JeonJu | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Kang, WanSook | Columba | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Choi, PhilJe | Peter | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| ShinYu(1801) | Kim, HyunWoo | Matthew | around Seosomoon | the Servant of God |
| Kihae(1839) | Lee, HoYoung | Peter | death in prison Saint | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Nam, MyungHyuk | Damian | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Chung, JungHye | Elizabeth | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, HyoIm | Columba | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, HyoJu | Agnes | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| Kihae(1839) | Kim, JeJoon | Ignatius | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Chun, JangHoon | John | around Seosomoon | Saint |
| ByungIn(1866) | Choi, Hyung | Peter | around Seosomoon | Saint |
5) Seosomoon Execution ground
At that time, the way from GwangHwaMoon to the execution site at the SeoSoMoon, current Korean representative Holy Ground, was a death road or a martyr road. The martyr road was some times connected to the Dang Hills and SeaNamTuh, and sometimes to ChulDooSan and further to all over the country. Sometimes arrested as a criminal or a felon, sometimes sold as a slave, and sometimes risk and sacrifice their lives. That was the only choice and life the first Korean Catholics had at that time.
Therefore, the beatification at GwangHwaMoon celebrated by Pope Francis presiding during his apostolic trip to Korea is very significant. According to bishop MyungOk (Francis Xavier) Ahn, Chairman of the CBCK Special Episcopal Commission, this beatification is “the evidence and proclamation of the eternal life.” As the life and death of Jesus Christ was completed in His resurrection, the martyrs were the saints who tried to live the real life in Him and sacrificed their lives with the same aspiration. Therefore, the resurrected Martyr Saints and the 124 Martyr Servants of God are the genuine belief that we must have.
The faith of the martyrs created a new order to the society. Back then, the caste system existed, but not the freedom of religion, nor the freedom of thoughts. Despite of the circumstances, they tried to overcome the restrictions. They were real creative people. Being a Catholic in ChoSun dynasty meant being revolutionary. The freedom and the equality currently we have is all provided and contributed by the sacrifice of the martyrs.
IlKwang (Simon) Hwang who was born from the lowest class family and poorly raised at HongJu in ChoongChung province, his life totally changed to the Joy by accepting Catholic by JonChang(Louis) Lee in 1792. After he became Catholic, he was treated differently by other Catholics that he couldn’t even imagine. Even though they all knew that he was a butcher, they treated him as same as others. Deeply moved IlKwang(Simon) Hwang often mentioned about two heavens: “There must be two heavens, one in this life and one in the afterworld.” He was arrested in 1801(ShinYu Persecution) and the authorities forced his apostasy by brutally torturing him, but it never happened. On 30th of January 1802, he was decapitated in his homeland, HongJu. Universal brotherhood of Catholic which overcomes the caste system made IlKwang(Simon) Hwang live in both heavens on Earth and in afterworld.
Since Catholic first introduced in Korea in 1784, Catholic carried out its mission for the Nation and the people through its own historical processes over two centuries. Since the 19th century, Korean Catholic preached the salvation of people, and became the milestone of the transition period of Korean society in 1970s. In 21st century, Korean Catholic is about to soar to the national evangelization. At this time, the beatification of 124 Martyrs Servants of God will be another opportunity for reconciliation and consensus of Korea by sharing the universal brotherhood that the Martyrs shared.
The ‘universal brotherhood’ and the ‘universal salvation’ are the present, the future and the dream of our church. The Martyrs who witness the faith through the universal brotherhood gives a lesson to us who discriminate based on social status, educational background, occupation and wealth. The beatification celebrated in GwangHwaMoon, the center of Korea and where the ‘universal broderhood’ maybe realized, is not a coincident. Hope ‘GwangHwaMoon’ becomes the new ‘Areios Pagos’(Act 17,16-34).
1UieKumBoo: Supreme Court directly responsible to the King
※ Tables from the book - “Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions, the Servant of God” published by Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Korea.