HOME > Pilgrimage > Lives of the 124 Korean Martyrs
Lives of the 124 Korean Martyrs
Yun Un-hye (Lucy)
| Date of birth | Sex | woman | Place of birth | Gyeonggi-do | Position/Status | Liaison N.C.F. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | Date or martyrdom | May 14, 1801 | Place of martyrdom | Small West Gate Seoul | Mode of martyrdom | beheading |
Lucy Yun Un-hye was born in Hangamgae, Yanggeun, Gyeonggi-do (now, Daeseok-ri Kangsang-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun). She learned the catechism from her mother Yi at an early age. Barnabas Jeong Gwang-su was her husband and Agatha Yun Jeom-hye was her elder sister.
She married Barnabas Jeong from Yeoju but they could not exchange their marriage certificate due to the objection of her parents-in-law. Everytime her parents-in-law compelled her to participate in the ancestral rites, she refused saying, “It is forbidden by the Church." Finally she moved with her husband to Byeokdong in Seoul and stayed away from her parents-in-law. It was in 1799.
In Seoul Lucy Yun and her husband devoted themselves to practicing their religion and helped with Church activities. They built a meeting place for the Catholics in a corner of their yard and invited Father James Zhou Wen-mo to celebrate Mass. The Catholics who gathered regularly, included Philip Hong Pil-ju, Simon Kim Gye-wan, Anthony Hong Ik-man, Columba Kang Wan-suk and Candida Jeong Bok-hye.
Lucy Yun and Barnabas Jeong taught the catechism to many people and transcribed religion books and distributed them to the faithful. They also made religious objects such as rosaries and images of Jesus and Mary and the Saints. They distributed them to the faithful or sold them.
When her elder sister Agatha Yun was arrested during the Shinyu Persecution in 1801, Lucy Yun expected that herself and her husband would be arrested very soon. So she made her husband Barnabas Jeong take refuge and removed Catholic books and religious objects to another believer`s house. Then, she was arrested in February while she was staying at home alone.
Lucy Yun was taken to the Police Headquarters and the Justice Ministry. There she was interrogated to force her to renounce her faith in God, but she refused. She only repeated what was known already and refused to abandon her Catholic faith. The persecutors, on realizing that she would not change her mind, sentenced her to death. On May 14, 1801 (April 2, by the Lunar calendar), she was taken to the execution ground where she was beheaded and died a martyr.
The following is an excerpt from the written death sentence on Lucy Yun that was declared by the Justice Ministry:
"You helped your husband with his activities and did not participate in offering the ancestral rites. You associated with Catholics and spent day and night in the company of female believers. You made religious books, objects and images in secret and sold them by going from one place to another. You confused the world by tempting many people. Therefore you deserve to die ten thousand times."
She married Barnabas Jeong from Yeoju but they could not exchange their marriage certificate due to the objection of her parents-in-law. Everytime her parents-in-law compelled her to participate in the ancestral rites, she refused saying, “It is forbidden by the Church." Finally she moved with her husband to Byeokdong in Seoul and stayed away from her parents-in-law. It was in 1799.
In Seoul Lucy Yun and her husband devoted themselves to practicing their religion and helped with Church activities. They built a meeting place for the Catholics in a corner of their yard and invited Father James Zhou Wen-mo to celebrate Mass. The Catholics who gathered regularly, included Philip Hong Pil-ju, Simon Kim Gye-wan, Anthony Hong Ik-man, Columba Kang Wan-suk and Candida Jeong Bok-hye.
Lucy Yun and Barnabas Jeong taught the catechism to many people and transcribed religion books and distributed them to the faithful. They also made religious objects such as rosaries and images of Jesus and Mary and the Saints. They distributed them to the faithful or sold them.
When her elder sister Agatha Yun was arrested during the Shinyu Persecution in 1801, Lucy Yun expected that herself and her husband would be arrested very soon. So she made her husband Barnabas Jeong take refuge and removed Catholic books and religious objects to another believer`s house. Then, she was arrested in February while she was staying at home alone.
Lucy Yun was taken to the Police Headquarters and the Justice Ministry. There she was interrogated to force her to renounce her faith in God, but she refused. She only repeated what was known already and refused to abandon her Catholic faith. The persecutors, on realizing that she would not change her mind, sentenced her to death. On May 14, 1801 (April 2, by the Lunar calendar), she was taken to the execution ground where she was beheaded and died a martyr.
The following is an excerpt from the written death sentence on Lucy Yun that was declared by the Justice Ministry:
"You helped your husband with his activities and did not participate in offering the ancestral rites. You associated with Catholics and spent day and night in the company of female believers. You made religious books, objects and images in secret and sold them by going from one place to another. You confused the world by tempting many people. Therefore you deserve to die ten thousand times."