SW News: Catholics in South Korea celebrated the 200th birth anniversary of St Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Catholic priest from the country and one of its most hallowed martyrs, with commemorative Masses and special events.

In 1,750 churches across the country, special Masses were offered on August 21, the birthday of St Andrew, and the ceremonies were livestreamed. On November 29 last year, the Catholic  Bishops’ Conference of South Korea had declared a jubilee year to commemorate the birth bicentenary of St Andrew. Year-long activities are being held until November 27 when the jubilee year comes to a close.

“Are you a Catholic faithful” is the theme of the jubilee year and it was the question directed at St Andrew by his persecutors before he was martyred. The saint answered with gusto that he is a Catholic indeed.

There were several programs at the shrine of Solmoe in Daejon Diocese, the birthplace of the martyr, from August 14 to 22. A special art complex was inaugurated near the shrine to honor St Andrew.

Cardinal Andrew Yeom of Seoul and several civil and Church dignitaries attended the Holy Mass celebrated by Daejon Auxiliary Bishop Augustinus Jong-soo Kim. On August 15, there was also a Memory and Hope concert at the shrine by a volunteer youth group comprising stories of faith and Biblical songs of praise.

St Andrew was born on August 21, 1821, in the Solmoe area to a family of early converts to Christianity. He was baptized at the age of 15. He then travelled to Macau to join a seminary and returned to Korea after six years. He travelled to Shanghai where he received ordination.

After becoming a priest, he undertook evangelization activities in his homeland and helped foreign missionaries enter the country through water routes in order to avoid the border patrols.

The Buddhist ruler of the Joseon dynasty was opposed to missionaries as he considered Christianity to be a subversive religion. Fr Andrew was arrested and beheaded on September 16, 1846, at the Han River near Seoul.