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MANILA, Philippines – A visit to a Catholic Church is often part of a Filipino traveler’s itinerary whenever he or she goes abroad. In the land of K-pop and K-dramas, Myeong-dong Cathedral in South Korea’s capital is the place to visit.
On a chilly Christmas Day, December 25, 2022, the church, located in downtown Seoul, was filled with worshippers for its Sunday Masses, according to Kim Harold Peji, a Filipino student in South Korea.
The immaculate brick church is a national historic site. It is the first parish church in Korea where its first Catholic community was formed back in 1784. It has become the symbol of the presence of the Catholic Church in Korea, where Catholics comprise around 11% of the country’s population of 51 million.
The cathedral was a focal point in the pro-democracy movement in the ’70s and ’80s, when Catholic leaders stood up to military regimes and in defense of human rights.
The cathedral’s facade is Gothic-style. Construction of the church was completed in 1898 and it is now 124 years old.
Tourists often have their pictures taken on the stairway leading up to the church’s entrance. Taking photos from this point often captures its beauty.
Myeong-dong Cathedral has stained glass windows that depict stories of the Bible and the Mysteries of the Rosary. Its interior has religious paintings and sculptures. Among these are a bronze sculpture of Pope Francis, a statue of St. Benedict, and a painting of the 79 blessed martyrs of Korea.
The patron saint of Myeong-dong Cathedral is Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The statue of Mary is located at the back of the cathedral.
The cathedral is close to the Myeong-dong shopping area popular among tourists. – Rappler.com
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