[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] On the afternoon of the 21st (local time), a commemorative mass celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Saint Kim Dae-geon Andrea (1821?1846) was held at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The mass was presided over by Archbishop Lazarus Yoo Heung-sik, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. About 200 people, including Korean priests, monks, nuns, and laypeople studying locally, attended.
In his homily titled "Thank you, Saint Kim Dae-geon," Archbishop Yoo reflected on the short but holy life of Father Kim Dae-geon as a true believer.
Archbishop Yoo said, "Saint Kim Dae-geon showed the true value of human life through his short earthly life of 25 years and 26 days," adding, "He practiced human dignity, equality, and love for neighbors in a strict Confucian social hierarchy. In short, his faith and life were united."
He continued, "The '200th Anniversary Jubilee of Saint Kim Dae-geon's Birth,' which comes in the era of the COVID-19 crisis, brings great grace to all of us and conveys a significant new mission," emphasizing above all the practice of brotherhood.
Since COVID-19 has crossed borders and spread to everyone without discrimination, the cure to overcome it must also be a brotherhood that transcends all barriers.
Archbishop Yoo also said, "Brotherhood is the only antidote to COVID-19 as well as the cure for the sick world and social evils."
In his homily, Archbishop Yoo expressed hopes for peace on the Korean Peninsula and anticipation for a papal visit to North Korea.
He noted, "Although the inter-Korean communication line was restored and then stopped, and relations between the South and North and between North Korea and the U.S. are on thin ice, there seem to be elements that allow us to harbor new hope, such as the Biden administration's flexible stance on North Korea-U.S. relations."
He added, "I earnestly pray that Pope Francis will visit North Korea and become a foundation for new peace on the Korean Peninsula. Especially, I ask for the intercession of Saint Kim Dae-geon and our proud martyrs."
At the end of the mass, a commemorative message from Pope Francis was read.
In his message, the Pope said, "On this joyful day commemorating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Saint Andrea Kim Dae-geon, I hope this message reaches all the beloved faithful in the Republic of Korea," and blessed the occasion as "a joyful anniversary of a heroic witness of faith."
Inside and outside the Vatican, there is a growing atmosphere of re-examining the 240-year history of Korean Catholicism, preserved through faith and blood, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Korea's first priest, Father Kim Dae-geon.
The Vatican's official media outlet, 'Vatican News,' published a lengthy article in its online Italian edition that day, reviewing the life of Father Kim Dae-geon and the history of Korean martyrs.
A priest in Rome who attended the mass said, "Father Kim Dae-geon showed an exemplary practice of brotherhood and love for neighbors," adding, "I am deeply moved that his noble life is becoming more widely known and rediscovered worldwide."
The mass was conducted in Korean for about an hour. It was the first Korean-language mass held at St. Peter's Basilica in about six years and five months.
Previously, in March 2015, during the regular visit of the Korean bishops to the Vatican the year after Pope Francis's visit to Korea, a Korean mass was held there.
This was also the first official mass presided over locally by Archbishop Yoo Heung-sik after his appointment as Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy at the Vatican. Archbishop Yoo arrived in Rome on the 30th of last month and began his duties upon his inauguration on the 2nd of this month.
After the mass, Archbishop Yoo expressed special gratitude to Yonhap News, saying, "Thanks to the efforts and dedication of many people, we were able to successfully conclude such a meaningful and glorious mass at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican."
The mass will be broadcast on Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation in early next month, the 'Month of the Martyrs,' as a recorded program.
Born in 1821 into a Catholic family in Solmoe, Dangjin, Chungnam Province, Father Kim Dae-geon was ordained in August 1845, becoming the first Korean Catholic priest.
During the peak of Catholic persecution, he actively engaged in pastoral work with deep faith but was arrested by authorities and executed by beheading in September 1846.
Father Kim Dae-geon was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 1984.
The Korean Catholic Church declared the period from November 29 last year to November 27 this year as the "200th Anniversary Jubilee of Saint Andrea Kim Dae-geon" and is holding various commemorative events.
UNESCO also recognized the historical significance of the 200th anniversary of Father Kim Dae-geon's birth and his life and achievements by selecting him as a "World Commemorative Figure of 2021."
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