Sanguis Martyrum - Semen Christianorum
I had the chance to pray before the tombs of thirty nameless martyrs today:

The shrine, deep in the mountains, marks the place of a Catholic village, founded in 1801 by refugees fleeing persecution in Seoul. The villagers were massacred in 1860.

Below are some photos from the site.

The path leading to the tombs:

An outdoor altar before the tombs:

Part of a retreat center:

It is estimated that in the 19th Century persecutions, some 10,000 Korean Catholics were matyred, among them Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, Korea's first priest and the patron of this blog, and the 103 canonized Martyrs of Korea.

I converted to Catholicism here in Korea. They are my fathers in the Faith, and in their honor, I remembered these words from the hymn:

Faith of our fathers, living still,
In spite of dungeon, fire and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy
Whenever we hear that glorious Word!

Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

I remembered it as sung by tenor Frank Patterson on that excellent collection from the Korea of Europe: Faith of Our Fathers: Classic Religious Anthems of Ireland.