Seoul
Where Korean laymen founded their own Church, with the shrines and markers of its martyrs and the cathedral of Myeongdong
Seoul is where Korean Catholics founded their own Church. In the 1780s Confucian scholars here read Catholic books from Beijing, sent one of their own to be baptized there, and began baptizing each other, with no missionary in the country. Their meetings moved to Kim Beom-u's house in Myeongdong, the ground where Myeongdong Cathedral now stands. The government then tried and executed Catholics in persecutions in 1801, 1839, 1846 and 1866. Seoul still marks each stage: the police bureaus and prison inside the walls, and the execution grounds outside them at Seosomun, Saenamteo and Jeoldusan. Saint John Paul II canonized 103 of these martyrs at Yeouido in 1984, and Pope Francis beatified Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 companions at Gwanghwamun in 2014. Many places are only a stone or a plaque on the street. The shrine churches are where Mass is said and relics are kept.
Fly over Seoul in 3DA tour of the city where Korean Catholics founded their ChurchStart the tourTop sites
See all
The Saints of Seoul
Saint Andrew Kim TaegonKorea's first native priest, ordained in 1845 and beheaded at Saenamteo in 1846 at the age of 25; relics are kept at Saenamteo and Jeoldusan, and his body lay at Waegogae and the Yongsan seminary before it was moved.
- Saint Paul Chong Hasang
Lay leader who made nine trips to Beijing to bring priests to Korea and wrote the Letter to the Prime Minister, Korea's first written defense of the faith; he was beheaded outside Seosomun on September 22, 1839.
Saint Laurent ImbertThe first bishop to live in Korea, who surrendered to spare his flock and was beheaded at Saenamteo on September 21, 1839, with Fathers Maubant and Chastan.
Saint Pierre MaubantFrench priest who entered Korea in 1836, baptized the 15-year-old Kim Taegon and chose him for seminary in Macau; he was beheaded at Saenamteo in 1839.
Saint Jacques ChastanFrench priest who entered Korea in 1837 and was beheaded at Saenamteo with Imbert and Maubant in 1839; the three are remembered together on Nogosan and Samseongsan.
Saint Siméon-François BerneuxBishop who founded a seminary and two printing houses in Seoul; he was beheaded at Saenamteo on March 7, 1866, with three French priests, and buried at Waegogae.
- Saint Peter Yu Tae-chol
The youngest of the 103 saints, aged 13, who was strangled at the Right Police Bureau on October 31, 1839.
Saint John Paul IICanonized the 103 Korean martyrs at Yeouido on May 6, 1984, the first canonization held outside Rome in modern times, after going from the airport straight to Jeoldusan.
- Blessed Paul Yun Ji-chung and 123 Companions
Martyrs of 1791 to 1888 beatified by Pope Francis at Gwanghwamun on August 16, 2014; Yun Ji-chung was beheaded at Jeonju in 1791 for refusing Confucian ancestral rites.
- Blessed James Zhou Wenmo
Chinese priest, the first to work in Korea, who surrendered at the Uigeumbu to end a persecution and was the first martyr beheaded at Saenamteo, on May 31, 1801.
- Blessed Columba Kang Wan-suk
Widow who hid Father Zhou in Seoul and organized the lay catechists; she was beheaded outside Seosomun in 1801.
- Blessed Mary Yi Seong-rye
Mother of Father Thomas Choe Yang-eop, beheaded at Danggogae in 1840.
Beyond the churches
Views, walks and the town between the churches.
Gyeongbokgung and the Gwanghwamun avenue
Gyeongbokgung, the main palace of the Joseon dynasty, was rebuilt from 1865 to 1867 by the regent Heungseon Daewongun, the king's father, under whom the persecution of 1866 began. The avenue in front of its gate was lined with government offices where Catholics were tried, and it is where Pope Francis beatified the 124 in 2014. The palace is closed on Tuesdays, and entry is free to anyone in full hanbok, the traditional Korean dress.
Itineraries
See allIn Seoul
Collections
See all
6 sitesWhere Seoul's Martyrs Were Buried in SecretSix places where Catholics hid the bodies of the executed
5 sitesSeoul's Execution Grounds of the MartyrsFour execution grounds and the gate the dead passed through
7 sitesPopes in Korea: 1984, 1989 and 2014Where Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis prayed, canonized and beatified
Featured Events
Good to know
The most central is Sunday at 09:00 in Myeongdong Cathedral, with English confession in the cathedral at 08:30 and on Saturday from 16:00 to 17:00 in the Permanent Confessional on the grounds. The Catholic International Parish in Hannam-dong has English Masses on Sunday at 09:00 and 11:00, and Saint Ignatius Church at Sogang University has one at 19:00.
Article · 8 minMass and Confession in English in SeoulReadOne full day covers Myeongdong, the markers along Jongno and Gwanghwamun, Seosomun, Yakhyeon and Jeoldusan. A second day adds Bukchon and the Yongsan shrines, including Saenamteo. Tour companies usually allow about four nights in Seoul, with one or two days kept for a trip to Solmoe or Mirinae.
Article · 7 minHow Many Days in Seoul? Two, Three or FourReadYes. Outside Mass times the cathedral is open to anyone, and visitors stand quietly at the back during Mass. Photographs are not allowed inside. Stairs behind the sanctuary lead down to the crypt, which holds relics of several martyrs, among them Bishop Imbert and Fathers Maubant and Chastan. Weekday mornings and late afternoons are the quietest times.
Article · 6 minVisiting Myeongdong CathedralReadIt is a set of three courses of 24 stops and 44.1 kilometers, approved by the Holy See in 2018 as the first international pilgrimage route in Asia. Courses 1 and 2 are walks through the old city, and Course 3 along the Han River is done by subway and bus. The archdiocese sells a stamp passport each September, in Korean.
Article · 9 minThe Seoul Pilgrimage Route and PassportReadSeptember is Korea's month of the martyrs. The archdiocese opens it with a Mass at Jeoldusan on September 1 and closes it with a Mass at Seosomun, where passport walkers receive a certificate. September 20 is the solemnity of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, Saint Paul Chong Hasang and their companions, and Saenamteo keeps September 16, the day Andrew Kim died.
Article · 7 minThe Martyrs' Month of September in SeoulReadDress neatly with shoulders and knees covered. Myeongdong asks visitors to avoid sportswear and slippers. A veil is a custom, not a requirement. Communion is received standing and in the hand, with a deep bow as the person ahead receives. Non-Catholics stay in the pew and do not receive.
Article · 6 minChurch Etiquette and Dress in KoreaReadSeoul has no convent guesthouses that sell beds to walk-in visitors as Italy does. Its retreat houses book by phone or text in Korean, prefer groups and often close their offices on Mondays. Most pilgrims stay in Myeongdong, Jongno or near Seoul Station, which are close to the cathedral and the subway.
Article · 7 minStaying in Seoul as a PilgrimReadUse the subway and buses with a T-money card, which also works on day trips outside Seoul. From Incheon Airport the AREX express train reaches Seoul Station in about 45 minutes, and Myeong-dong is two stops from Seoul Station on Line 4. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap, because Google Maps gives only transit directions in Korea.
Article · 10 minGetting Around Seoul by Subway, Bus, Taxi and TrainReadMostly yes. Subway stations have elevators, and the Seosomun museum is underground with a lift from the park. Myeongdong's forecourt is a slope with steps, but a lift rises from the underground plaza. Samseongsan, the Bukchon lanes and the Yongsan hill are hard going. Seoul runs a free service for wheelchair-accessible vans and equipment.
Article · 6 minSeoul with Children or Limited MobilityReadCatholic stays
Seoul has no convent guesthouse that sells beds to walk-in visitors the way Italian convents do. Its retreat houses are run by religious orders and the archdiocese, take bookings by phone or text in Korean, prefer groups and often close their offices on Mondays. The Benedictine monks' retreat house in Jangchung-dong is the most central, a few minutes from Dongguk University station on Line 3. The Benedictine sisters' Sangji Retreat House in Seongbuk takes individual retreatants, with a convent Mass every day and one in English on Thursdays. A small Benedictine monastery in Namyangju, about 15 kilometers from the center, has individual retreat rooms.
- Benedictine Waegwan Abbey Seoul Branch Retreat HouseBenedictine retreat house in central Seoul, operated by Waegwan Abbey, offering immersion in monastic prayer, the Divine Office, and Gregorian chant.
- Saint Benedict Congregation Joseph MonasteryBenedictine conventual priory founded in 1987 at Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan's invitation, following the Rule of St. Benedict, housing a retreat center and working pear orchard at the foot of Buramsan Mountain.
Article · The full guide to every stay · 7 min readStaying in Seoul as a PilgrimWhich neighborhood to choose, the Benedictine and Sangji retreat houses, and how to book from abroadRead the guideArticles
See all- Getting aroundGetting Around Seoul by Subway, Bus, Taxi and Train10 min read
- PlanningHow Many Days in Seoul? Two, Three or Four7 min read
- Mass and sacramentsMass and Confession in English in Seoul8 min read
PracticalMoney, SIM Cards and Apps in Seoul7 min read- PracticalSeoul with Children or Limited Mobility6 min read
- StayingStaying in Seoul as a Pilgrim7 min read
- Feasts and seasonsThe Martyrs' Month of September in Seoul7 min read
- Visiting sitesThe Seoul Pilgrimage Route and Passport9 min read
- Visiting sitesVisiting Myeongdong Cathedral6 min read
- PracticalChurch Etiquette and Dress in Korea6 min read
Phrases
Keep exploring
Day walkSeoul Pilgrimage Route: The Good News Road9 sites in Seoul
Day walkSeoul Pilgrimage Route: The Unity Road8 sites in Seoul
Day walkSeoul Pilgrimage Route: The Eternal Life Road8 sites in Seoul
Day walkSeoul Pilgrimage Route: Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon's Martyrdom Road5 sites in Seoul
Saint Andrew Kim Taegon9 sites in Seoul
The 103 Korean Martyrs6 sites in Seoul
Saint Laurent Imbert4 sites in Seoul
Saint Pierre Maubant4 sites in Seoul
Saint Jacques Chastan4 sites in Seoul- Blessed James Zhou Wenmo4 sites in Seoul
Community
Questions and tips from pilgrims who have been to Seoul.
No posts yet
Be the first to help a fellow pilgrim. Ask a question or share what you learned in Seoul.