Top Stories 25/07/02 Korean Church unveils remains of four 19th century martyrs

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The martyrs include three French missionaries and a Korean priest executed for violating a ban on Christianity

A portrait of French Bishop Laurent Joseph Marius Imbert (1796-1839) from Paris Foreign Mission Society (MEP) who served in Korea and became a martyr of faith. (Photo: Namu Wiki)

By UCA News reporter

Published: July 04, 2025 11:57 AM GMT

Updated: July 04, 2025 12:28 PM GMT

Catholic Church officials in South Korea have unveiled the remains of four martyrs who sacrificed their lives during one of the worst periods of Christian persecution in the 19th century.

The unveiling of the remains of the martyrs — three French missionaries from the Paris Foreign Mission Society (MEP) and one Korean — was held in presence of officials from Korean Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCK) on July 2.

The martyrs are French Bishop Laurent Joseph Marius Imbert, Father Maubant, Father Chastan, and Father Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first native Korean priest.

The remains enshrined in a single relic case are “hair from Bishop Imbert, Father Maubant, and Father Chastan, and a fragment of the foot bone of Father Kim Tae-gon,” according to the official document.

The ceremony was part of the Korean Church’s celebration of the centenary of the beatification of 79 martyrs by the Vatican on July 5, 1925.

The three French missionaries were martyred during the Gihae Persecution, and Kim was martyred during the Byeong-o Persecution in the 19th century.

During a period spanning over a century, the rulers of Korea’s Joseon dynasty unleashed brutal persecution on Catholicism, leading to the martyrdom of thousands, according to Church documents.

The rulers banned Christianity, labelling it an alien faith associated with imperial foreign powers that contradicted Confucianism-influenced ethics and Buddhism.

During the July 2 ceremony, the certificates of martyrdom and beatification issued by the Vatican for the four were also unveiled.

The remains of the martyrs were preserved by Benedictine nuns for a long time. The nuns handed over the remains to the bishops’ conference, considering their high historical value, in February.

The remains have been thoroughly examined to confirm‎ their authenticity.

The three French missionaries arrived in Korea in 1836-1837, when persecution was at its peak. They were arrested after being accused of violating the royal order banning Christianity and engaging illegally in evangelization and training Korean clergy.

They were executed together at Saenamteo in the Han River on September 21, 1839.

Kim Tae-gon was ordained as the first native Korean priest on Aug. 17, 1845, in Shanghai, China. He was arrested in June 1846 after being charged with helping foreign missionaries to enter Korea illegally.

Kim was executed at Saenamteo in the Han River on Sept. 16, 1846, just a year after his ordination.

Pope Pius XI beatified four martyred priests in St. Peter’s Basilica on July 5, 1925. Pope John Paul II canonized them on May 6, 1984, during his visit to South Korea.

The four priests were beatified on July 5, 1925, in St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Pius XI, and later canonized on May 6, 1984, in Yeouido, Seoul, by Pope John Paul II.

Catholic Church in Korea has long promoted the veneration of martyrs as a way to celebrate their legacy that strengthened the Church’s foundation.

Since 2017, Korean Catholic bishops have collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for the “Korean Catholic Historical Materials Catalog Project” – a 10-year scheme for research, documentation, and preservation of historical materials related to the Catholic Church in Korea from 1784 to 1962.

The project is expected to complete by the end of 2026.

This report is brought to you in partnership with Catholic Times of Korea