Let’s learn about Catholic culture located in Daegu!

Pope Francis visited South Korea~

With the news of the pope visiting Korea, we prepared special trip.

Gyesan Catholic Church

Gyesan Catholic Church is also famous for Daegu Geundae Alley course.

It is the first parish church of Gyeongsang Province, and currently Archdiocese of Daegu Cathedra church.

The church dissipated due to big fire in 1901, and current gothic brick church was built in 1903.

Inside of Gyesan church still has the dignity of 100 years of history.

At this place, Pope John Paul II met with Sunday school children when he first visited Korea in 1984.

 

We heard more about this church from Jung-wook Seo, who has been going to Gyesan Catholic Church for 70 years.

   

1.Inside Gyesan Catholic Church under the altar, part of Jesus’ cross is enshrined with the ashes of the first priest of Korea, Dae-gun Kim.

It is not opened to the public and it is a very significant space for Gyesan Catholic Church.

2.The statue of Virgin Mary is in the center of the church.

This is because the first bishop promised to make Virgin Mary their number one. This is of course same for Seongmodang (Holy Mother's Shrine). 

3.Pipe organ made with pipes of 15m in length. You can see two bells if you climb up the ladder on each sides.

Bells of Gyesan Catholic Church has been used since 1918, and it is the only bell in the country that can be rung. 

The bell on the right is Agustino bell, and the one on the left is Germana bell, and they are named after the baptismal name of the people who devoted to making the bells. 

By the way, Augustino Bell was made from the offerings from Mr. Sang-don Seo. (Bell rings every 6AM, noon, and 6PM)

○ address: 2nd Street, Gyesan-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu Metropolitan City 

Gwandeokjeong Pavilion

History

Celebrating the 200th year of the foundation of Korea Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese held the blessing of the Oratorium of Gwandeokjeong and the enshrinement ceremony for the relocation of the remains of Saint Lee, Yoon-il on January 20, 1991 with the goal of commemorative project and the development of the scared place. The Memorial Hall of Martyrdom, opened on May 31 of the same year, keeps the remains of Saint John Lee, Yoon-il (second weekly bulletin of Daegu Archdiocese)who suffered martyrdom here, and displays the relics of ancestors of faith. 

It is three stories building with Gwandeokjeong church, remains exhibition room, martyrdom and exhibition room.

Church at first basement floor is one of the most important places in Gwandeokjeong. It is the place where believers meditate, pray and participate in mass.

Yun Il Lee John’s remain is laid inside the church.

This is remains exhibition room.

Many remainsare laid at below and beside the altar stone.

Exhibition room is composed of historical record exhibition room, doll exhibition room and parish exhibition room.

Each exhibition room shows St. Yun Il Lee’s life story, and scenes of church persecution and martyrdom of Gyeongsang provinces together with history of Daegu archdiocese. 

Gwandeokjeong the place where there is whole history of Korean Catholicism.

I guess it will nice to visit once.  

○ Address: #11 Gwandeokjeong Street, Jung-gu Daegu Metropolitan City

Seongmodang(Virgin Mary's Cave)

History

As Daegu archdiocese is made in April 8, 1911, bishop Demange was appointed as first Apostolic Vicar. Bishop Demange promised to offer cave similar to Lourdes cave when expanding miter, theological school, and cathedral in July 2, 1911.

After that, miter, theological school, and convent were built together, and the Seongmodang was offered in 1918.  

Before building the Seongmodang

Bishop Lourdes promised to build Seongmodang equal to Lourdes cave at the most beautiful place in parish if construction of theological school and church moves forward as planned. Then, he prayed to Virgin Mary once again to heal colleague missionary’s disease, and as the missionary was recovered as prayed, he prepared to build the Seongmodang before construction of church is completed.  Finally, Seongmodang was built in August, 1918.

Architecture of the Seongmodang

Architecture called Chinese technicians to build arch shaped red brick building.

1911 in '1911 EX VOTO IMMACULATAE CONCEPTIONI 1918' carved at upper front means the year Daegu archdiocese is made and 1918 means the year when 3 wishes that Bishop Demange prayer are fulfilled. 

Seongmodang where masses are held and used as prayer place for believers

You may also see tombs of clerics who martyred in Korea behind the Seondmodang.

○ Namsan 3-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu Metropolitan city