2014.8.14~18
Solmoe Shrine is the birthplace of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, the first ordained priest of Korea. Solmoe means a thick mountain of pine trees in Korean.
In 1784, the family of Father Kim converted to Catholicism and made Solmoe the seedbed of the Catholic faith in the region of Naepo. Four generations of his family, including himself, were martyred under persecution. The Solmoe shrine became to be known as the “Home of Martyrs,” and many pilgrims visit Solmoe to commemorate the martyrs.
The four-way plaza outside Seosomun is where capital punishments were carried out during the Joseon Dynasty. In a rare occasion in the history of the Catholic Church, 103 martyrs were canonized as saints in Korea in 1984. Out of them, 44 became martyrs at the four-way plaza outside of Seosomun. Today, the Hyeonyangtap tower continues to draw pilgrims who visit the place in memory of the saints.Source: Seoul Pilgrimage Walks Guide
In early Joseon era, Haemi, also known as Haemoe, was governed by military officials. The military governors exercised independent authority to execute people under the pretext of coastal defense. But instead of coastal defense, the area came to be known better as the place of persecution of thousands of Catholics for 100 years from 1790s to 1880s.
After Haemi Church was built in April 1985, fundraising efforts began to secure the holy ground. In 17 June, 2003, the Martyrdom Memorial Hall was built to enshrine remains of the martyrs.
Kkottongne, which dreams of “a world where no one is left out,” is the biggest general welfare facility run by the Korean Catholic Church and the nation’s representative welfare center.
Father Oh Woong Jin launched this organization in 1976. He first started the“House of Love,” a facility for people with disabilities, and then other facilities including an adoption center, “Angel House,” to take care of its residents from cradle to grave. Kkottongne serves those in need, such as the homeless, the disabled and alcoholics.
At present, Kkottongne houses 5,000 people at Eumseong and other branches. Overseas branches have also been opened in Bangladesh, the Philippines, Uganda, Haiti and the US among other countries.
Built in 1898, the Myeongdong Cathedral is both a symbol of the Catholic Church of Korea’s secured religious freedom and the center of the Catholic Church in Korea. The tomb in the basement floor was, from the very beginning, constructed to house the remains of martyrs. Since 1900, the church has enshrined the remains of martyrs that have been brought in from various parts of the country. The remains of nine martyrs, including five saints, are enshrined here. Source: Seoul Pilgrimage Walks Guide