An Accidental Day Trip into Korean Catholic History
The Snyders of Pohang took a trip to a recreational area yesterday in Sanae, South Gyeongsang Province. Quite by surprise, we discovered two Korean Catholic gems.
The first was a 100-year-old church in a tiny village. Two friendly old-timers told us about it. There's no parish priest there anymore. I asked how many Catholics lived in the village and was told "five households." Korean country-folk still think in terms of families, not individuals. The village itself had seventeen households. Here are some photos:
A few miles away there was a Catholic rest-house. Behind it, was a steep mountain path with the Stations of the Cross. Here's number 14:
After the last station, there is this cave, where, in 1868, not more than 40 years before the above church had been built, three Catholic laymen hid for several months during one of the 19th Century persecutions which altogether claimed 10,000 martyrs:
The three were captured and met their blessed martyrdom in Ulsan, my wife's hometown. Here are their names:
The Snyders of Pohang took a trip to a recreational area yesterday in Sanae, South Gyeongsang Province. Quite by surprise, we discovered two Korean Catholic gems.
The first was a 100-year-old church in a tiny village. Two friendly old-timers told us about it. There's no parish priest there anymore. I asked how many Catholics lived in the village and was told "five households." Korean country-folk still think in terms of families, not individuals. The village itself had seventeen households. Here are some photos:
A few miles away there was a Catholic rest-house. Behind it, was a steep mountain path with the Stations of the Cross. Here's number 14:
After the last station, there is this cave, where, in 1868, not more than 40 years before the above church had been built, three Catholic laymen hid for several months during one of the 19th Century persecutions which altogether claimed 10,000 martyrs:
The three were captured and met their blessed martyrdom in Ulsan, my wife's hometown. Here are their names:
- YI YANG-DEUNG PETRUS
born: ? in Gyeongsang-do
KIM JONG-RYUN LUCAS
born: 1819 in Gongju, Chungcheong-do
HEO IN-BAEK IACOBUS
born: 1822 in Gimhae, Gyeongsang-do
(from MARTYRS OF KOREA (X 1791-1888) [II])
Redeemed by Our Savior, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling in Pohang, South Korea, where I live with my wife, daughter, and son and teach English at a science and technology university. Baptized a Methodist and raised a Missouri Synod Lutheran in Buffalo, NY, I spent six years as a guest of the Anglican Communion before being received by the Grace of God into the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church on the Feast of Saint Andrew, my patron, anno domini 2002.
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