Andrew was born into a Catholic family in Korea at a time when the practice of Christianity was a capital offense, and his own father had already been martyred for the faith by the time Andrew was baptized. He traveled a grueling overland route to study for the priesthood in Macau, and was ordained in Shanghai in 1845, becoming the first Korean-born Catholic priest in history.
Returning to Korea, Andrew worked to establish routes by which foreign missionary priests could enter the country secretly, since Korea's borders were closely watched and Christianity remained forbidden. He was arrested attempting to guide a group of missionaries in by sea, and after enduring torture without renouncing his faith, was beheaded near Seoul in 1846 at only twenty-five years old. He is honored as the patron of the Korean clergy and, along with 102 other Korean martyrs, was canonized by Pope John Paul II in Seoul in 1984.
Saint Andrew Kim Taegon
Priest and Martyr
The first native Korean Catholic priest, ordained in secret and executed within a year for building a network to bring foreign missionaries into a country where Christianity was outlawed.
- Born
- 1821
- Died
- 1846
- Birthplace
- Chungcheong Province, Korea
- Died in
- Seoul, Korea
- Country
- South Korea
- Canonised
- 1984-05-06
- Century
- 19th century
Categories
Why People Pray to Saint Andrew Kim Taegon
Saint Andrew Kim Taegon is invoked by priests, missionaries, and Korean Catholics, and by those working to bring the faith to places where it is restricted.
