Statue of Father Kim Dae-geon Wearing a Hat in Vatican... First Asian Saint

Official Release After the Blessing Ceremony on the 16th

A statue of Korea's first priest, Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon (1821?1846), was erected on the 5th (local time) at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the center of the global Catholic Church. It was placed on a wall near the exit of the underground crypt where former popes rest.

The statue depicts him wearing traditional Korean attire, including a gat (traditional hat) and dopo (overcoat), with his arms outstretched. The open arms symbolize embracing everything. This is the first time a statue of an Eastern saint has been installed in St. Peter's Basilica. It is expected to attract attention as it stands out from the surrounding European saints such as Saint Francis and Saint Dominic. The location is near a souvenir shop, a place frequented by many tourists.

Statue of Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon, a priest, installed on the outer wall of St. Peter's Basilica
[Photo by Hanjinseop]

The statue was realized to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Father Kim Dae-geon, following Cardinal You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Vatican's Clergy Department, expressing his intention to dedicate the statue to Pope Francis. Cardinal You, who served as Bishop of Daejeon, led the project to sanctify Solmoe, the birthplace of Father Kim Dae-geon in Dangjin, Chungnam Province. He is known for his efforts to promote Father Kim Dae-geon not only in Korea but also to the global Catholic Church. On May 24, Pope Francis publicly mentioned Father Kim Dae-geon, urging, "Like the Korean martyrs, have the courage to get up even if you fall."

The statue was funded by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea and sculpted by artist Han Jin-seop. Han, a graduate of the Sculpture Department at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara, Italy, selected the marble raw material locally starting in August last year. From January, he stayed in Pietrasanta, a city in northwestern Italy, to create the statue of Father Kim Dae-geon. After eight months of work, the completed statue was transported over 400 km to the Vatican and installed safely.

Statue of Saint Father Kim Dae-geon
Photo by Hanjinseop, Artist

The statue's consecration ceremony will be held on the 16th at St. Peter's Basilica, following a thanksgiving Mass presided over by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica. Attendees will include Bishop Lee Yong-hoon, Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung, Bishop Seo Sang-beom, Military Ordinariate, Bishop Kim Jong-gang of Cheongju Diocese, and Vicar General Shin Ho-cheol of Busan Diocese. After the Mass, the bishops, along with the official pilgrimage group, Korean priests, religious, and laypeople residing in Rome, will have a special audience with Pope Francis. At this event, artist Han Jin-seop will present a model prototype of the statue of Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon to Pope Francis as a gift.

Father Kim Dae-geon was born in 1821 into a Catholic family in Solmoe, Dangjin, Chungnam Province. He was ordained in August 1845, becoming the first Korean Catholic priest. However, due to severe persecution of Catholics, he was arrested by authorities and executed by beheading in September 1846. He was canonized as a saint in 1984 by Pope John Paul II.