Myung-Dong Cathedral [명동대성당]

In 1785,for the Glory of God,the scholars who had founded the church decided to move their meeting place for studying and prayer from ChonJinAm to a central location .
They choose a house in MyungYe Bang(now named Myung-Dong ) in the center of capital city.

A owner of of this house Thomas Kim Bum-U donated his own house and was sent to exile and death.

In 1880,a cathedral was planned to build on the site of Kim Bum-Us House in MyungYe bang,where the scholars used to meet for religious studies and services.
Before freedom of religion was granted,seminarians were trained in this house in MyungYebang,which was called "ChongHyun" Later
The cathedral was consecrated and dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Mary in May of 1898 after 6 years of construction.

Outside of small west gate [ 서소문 밖 ]

Peter Yi Sung-Hun (1756-1801),the first korean catholic,was born in BansokGol(Meaning "Rock'),where is in Seoul.
Today,he truly became the rock of the catholic church in Korea.
Yi was beheaded this place nearest his birth place,at the age of 45.his body is now buried in Chonjin Am

Yi Sung-Hun came from a noble family,passed the government examination qualifying him as a government official at the age of 24.
His father was Yi Tong-Uk ,a man of literature and learning who was a member of the korean envoys to peking in China at that time.

His mother was the sister of the famous scholar Yi ka-kwan , a descent of Yi Ik.
The famous Jung's 4 brothers are his brother-in-law
Yi Seung-Hun  learned the new philosophy from the Jung brothers of MaJae.He became a member of KangHak Hoe(The study group) when he was 23 years old.
During the persecution of 1866,the ground outside the small west gate became the site for killing again.
Yi Seung-Hun  martyred here and his body has been transferred to ChonjinAm,since his martyrdom in 1801.Seven members of his family during the next four generations(70 year period) became martyrs for the faith.
Peter Yi Seung-Hun  was truly the rock.not only for his family,but also for the entire church in Korea.

Samsong-san [삼 성 산 ]

The mortal remains of three Saints,Bishop laurent Joseph , Maria Imbert and Father Jacques Chastan and pierre Maubant,were entered here on the outskirts of seoul for 58 years.
Bishop Imbert had been the second pastor of SamSung San area parish
In the Gihae persecution of 1839, he and Father Chastan and Maubant were beheaded at SaeNamTo on the north side of the Han River.


Tang-kogae [당 고 개 ]

Here is near CholDu San and Saenamto in Seoul.In the days of persecution,it was some distance outside the old city area.
The GiHae persecution of 1839,was particularly severe and advanced the church.
In God's plan,the killings ended here at Tang-Gogae,with the Glorious Martyrdom of nine persons,four men and five women,who have been canonized as a Saints of the church
Maria YuSong-Rye wife of Saint Francis Choi Kyung-Hwani and mother of Father Thomas Choi Yang-Up who is the second korean priest.

Her 4 young sons watched her execution.They already had seen their father and youngest brother die for the faith in prison and were homeless beggers themselves.
It is said that when the blow fell,they danced with joy crying out ,
" Our mother was beheaded with one cut of the sword"

WooPoChong [우 포 청 ]

This was a building of the court system in the Jo Seon Dynasty.
It functioned as the criminal court,where judgment was passed on cases presented by a lower court.
The criminal court was reponsible for public law and order in HanYnag ( Name of old Seoul)
Today,It would correspond to the Ministry of Justice.
Catholics upon arrest were first investigated and tortured,whereupon they were taken here for future prosecution and sentence.
many of the 103 martyred Saints suffered in this court building.It has been moved to Sam Seon Park as a national Treasure.

The grave of Sa-yong Hwang [황 사영 의 묘 ]

Alexander Hwang Sa-Young  wrote the famous " Long letter on Silk " which was a silk scroll addressed to the Bishop of Peking in China.
This described the difficulties of church in the ShinYu persecution of 1801.
He was born in 1774 at KangHwaDo Island west coast of Seoul,his father had died previous to the birth.
From childhood,he displayed remarkable intelligence.At the age of 16,he astonished civil service examination by obtaining the degree of ChinSa (an official position)
not only was he the youngest participant but he gained the highest score.
King Chong Jo himself held his hand and promised to make him a government official upon maturity.

Following the custom in korea,the youth bound the hand with a strip of red silk cloth.
He continued his education under the tutelage of Jung Yank-Jong  also head of the catholic Myung Do-Hoe(Catechetical association)
At this point, grace tempered ambition.deeply moved by the faith of his teacher and the beauty of catholic doctrine,he sought baptism.
Father Chu Mun-Mo  christened him Alexander.hence,despite position which could have guaranteed him wealth and fame,
Alexander chose to follow the way of truth and bear the Cross.

Appalled by the arrest and martyrdom of the leaders of the church , Jung Yak-Jong Father Chu Mun-Mo  and Yi Seung-Hun  and Hwang Sa-Young took refuge in a village of christians in Chungchung-do province
Right over here he wrote Hwang's Long Letter,It was written on silk scroll,measuring 63 cm by 38 cm and comprised a total of 13,311 separate characters. And he wrote this long letter small cave in the Baeron which was first Seminary in Korea.