The Korean Martyrs

Who they were

The Church in Korea was founded by lay people: around 1780 a scholar, Lee Byeok, read Matteo Ricci's book on the true doctrine of God brought from Beijing, embraced the faith and gathered the first community before any priest arrived. From 1802 the state banned Christianity and ordered Christians killed, and persecution went on until religious freedom came in 1882.

Among the thousands who died, 103 were canonised together, among them the first Korean-born priest, St Andrew Kim Taegon, martyred on 16 September 1846, and the lay catechist St Paul Chong Hasang, who walked to China fifteen times to beg for priests and was martyred on 22 September 1839.

The miracles

As martyrs, they were canonised in Seoul without the need of approved miracles. Their memorial is 20 September.

Why that counted as sanctity

A Church born from lay people reading about Christ held to Him through a century of persecution, and thousands of its members, lay and clergy, gave their lives rather than deny Him.

Connected on this site

• Agatha Chŏn Kyŏng-hyŏb Saint one of this group
• Agatha Kim A-gi Saint one of this group
• Agatha Kwŏn Chin-i Saint one of this group
• Agatha Lee Gan-nan Saint one of this group
• Agatha Yi Saint one of this group
• Agatha Yi Kyŏng-i Saint one of this group
• Agatha Yi So-sa Saint one of this group
• Agnes Kim Hyo-ju Saint one of this group
• Alexius U Se-yŏng Saint one of this group
• Andrew Chŏng Hwa-gyŏng Saint one of this group
• Andrew Kim Taegon Saint one of this group
• Anna Kim Chang-gŭm Saint one of this group