Pope Francis beatified 124 Korean martyrs at a Mass held in downtown Seoul. 
 
In the beatification Mass on Saturday, the pontiff declared the late Christians as "Blessed," a stage before sainthood.
 
In his sermon, the pope said the legacy of the martyrs can inspire all men and women of good will to work in harmony for a more just, free and reconciled society. 
 
He said the example of Blessed Paul Yun Ji-chung and the other 123 martyrs has much to say to people who live in societies where the cry of the poor is seldom heeded. 
 
Pope Francis also noted that dire poverty is silently growing alongside immense wealth in the world.
 
The beatification Mass at Gwanghwamun Plaza was attended by about 100 bishops, 19-hundred priests and about 170-thousand Catholics.
 
Protective walls enclose the venue stretching about a kilometer and a half from City Hall to Gwanghwamun Plaza. Outside the protected zone, the police said about 900-thousand people gathered to witness the papal Mass. 

Later on Saturday, the pope is set to visit a facility for people with disabilities in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province.