Korea's Myeongdong Cathedral: The Silhouette of a Religion

Right in the middle of the most popular tourist district in Seoul, South Korea, is the center of the Korea Roman Catholic faith: Myeongdong Cathedral. Saint John Paul II and Pope Francis had celebrated Holy Masses here when they visited the country. Although the Cathedral is busiest during Sundays, international tourists also crowd this place during weekdays as it is a tourist attraction as it is a place of worship. Completed in 1898 in Gothic Revival architecture, this place of worship has seen persecution and celebration of the Catholic faith in Korea for more than a century.

While the Myeongdong Cathedral presents a different kind of beauty during daytime, at night, it shares with every visitor a different kind of serene presence. As it sits on a hill, a visitor attending an evening mass must first climb the steps going up as if to ascend closer to the heavens. And while looking up, one is captivated by the Cathedral’s appearance with its steeple pointing to the skies as if showing the faithful the only way to the Father.  

Everyone taking the steps going up is slowly treated to the beauty of the cathedral whose architecture is illuminated by rays of light coming from its base and to the image of the Cathedral standing in the dark like a beacon of faith, unwavering and strong amidst the years of Catholic persecution in the past and the challenges in the Korean Peninsula in the present. Both Catholics and tourists who walk up to the hill always find themselves taking photographs of the Cathedral at night as it looks more imposing after dark than it is during the day.

And as one slowly walks into the Cathedral after opening its creaking wooden doors on the side, one immediately finds the place airy and peaceful, especially after the evening mass when, one by one, parishioners quietly leave. Joining the other few souls who stay behind, you’d only hear occasional footsteps that echo within the walls and in silence, what you’d hear are your supplications for yourself and others as well as your profession of faith and devotion.

I always wish that most churches still open their doors at night even after the last mass as the solitude and silence offered by a church, bereft of the noise of the city and the today’s distractions of daily living, provide one with an atmosphere of intimate communication with God and with one’s self. For in these times of violence, greed and misguided philosophy, divine succor, and guidance from above are what we need the most.

As I left Myeongdong Cathedral, I traced my steps down the hill on my way back to my earthly existence, I turned back for one last look and gazed up to this house of prayer and sanctuary of faith now etched in the dark by shadows and light, transforming it, not just into another admirable piece of grand architecture, but as a silhouette of a religion, knowing that until my next visit, I will again find peace, strength, and divine guidance within its walls.

#PopeFrancisInKorea: The Beatification Mass At Gwanghwamun Square

I was right about not asking for a ticket to Pope Francis' beatification of 124 Korean martyrs at Gwanghwamun Square on August 16, 2014.  I heard from friends that those with tickets had to be at the site as early as 5AM; I woke up at 7:30AM that day, and my reconnoitering of the area two nights before the event didn't help (read blog here)!😆

But as soon as I awoke that Saturday morning, I checked the live news about the beatification. On TV, thousands were already entering the secured area and people were already posting and tweeting from their seats at the Gwanghwamun Square. Although I felt a little envious, I always reminded myself that I might not have been able to move around to take pictures if I was assigned a seat.

                   (An empty Saemun-an or 
                    Gwanghwamun street)

I left my Hannam-dong neighborhood in the Yongsan District about 9AM. By this time, Pope Francis was already at the Seosomun Green Park for a short visit. After that, he was off to the highlight of his visit to South Korea.

I thought of taking the subway, but I realized taking the bus would be more convenient for me since my route to Gwanghwamun Square was via the Seodaemun area. From Hannam-dong, the Blue Bus 421 took me to Sookmyung Women's University bus stop, where I transferred to Blue Bus 752. This is what I like about Seoul: its very efficient transport  system. So, even if the subway stations of Gwanghwamun, City Hall and Gyeongbuk Palace were closed that morning, anyone could still get to the site. From the Seodamun Police Headquarters bus stop, I simply walked for 15 minutes, and...Hallelujah! I was at Gwanghwamun and could already hear the choir singing!

             (A huge empty space where more                          Catholics could have occupied)

                    (Behind the barricades)

Pope Francis actually roamed around the beatification area to greet the crowd on his pope mobile before the ceremony. Even if I made it earlier, I wasn't sure if I would have been able to take a picture of him,  much less get a good glimpse of his holiness. There would be hundreds of people blocking my line of sight if they were standing or waving hankies, or raising their smartphones to take pictures.

               (People watching the Pope from 
                         a huge TV screen)

When I got to Gwanghamun, it was almost 10AM and Pope Francis was already a few minutes into his beatification ceremony. I think I was in the area for a good ten minutes when the thousands erupted in a singular cheering and celebration, clapping and waving their hankies in the air. That was the moment Pope Francis declared and beatified the 124 Korean martyrs!  Paul Yun-ji Chung and 123 Korean martyrs, who were persecuted and died during the Choseon Dynasty in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, had just been declared by the Catholic Church as 'blessed'. 

(As the Pope declared 'blessed' the 124 Korean martyrs...

         ...thousands and thousands stood up,                      cheered and clapped endlessly)

As I expected, the whole site was orderly with thousands of police and security making sure this part of Seoul was free from any nuisance that would ruin the event. Aside from the news of people fainting probably due to the summer heat, there wasn't much of a disturbance except for the one I witnessed by the entrance on the west side of the Square, where a Korean woman tried to barge in through the security, but was stopped. She lay sitting on the pavement wailing, but was appeased and carried to the next building.

               (A Korean woman wailing while 
                being watched by the police)

At the Seodaemun side where the road was closed, there was a big empty space that would have been available for people with no tickets to stand and watch. Had the organizers brought the barricade closer to the Square, a few hundreds could have watched the ceremony closer.

   (Do you recognize anyone from the crowd?)

And speaking of being closer, I made my way closest to the Gwanghwamun Square through a small open passage for Catholics with no tickets next to the barricades at Exit 7 of Gwanghwamun Station. Across the street from where I stood was Kyobo Building, to my left was the proud statue of Admiral Yi and right behind me was Godiva Chocolates! This chocolate shop actually had a cafe on the 2nd and 3rd floors, which they opened to their customers. But watching from the inside, even in air conditioned room, would not be the same as being on the ground where you can hear everything, especially the choir that sang during the Mass. Their singing was remarkably good with soprano and tenor voices soaring above everyone else's. They must have picked the best singers and rehearsed weeks (or even months!) before the ceremony. I wondered in which parish that choir regularly sang.

                                      (A sitting sea of humanity)

           (Majority of those who attended were 
             from the provinces and other cities)

As I expected to stand at the site for hours, I brought almond bread from Taegukbang, my new favorite bakery, and a bottled drink in case I got a little hungry (read blog here). But I worried about those people sitting on the pavement under the sun. I wondered if they had food with them, too. Most of them came from the provinces and nearby cities, and perhaps, even travelled through the night. And when my tummy started to grumble right somewhere between the offertory and the Lord's Prayer, I had to give in and started munching a piece of my snack, reciting the line, "Give us this day our daily bread". 

(I could see Admiral Yi from where I stood)

                                   (The crowd to my left)

                      (The crowd to my right)

The skies were cloudy, making the temperatures tolerable. Although everyone attending was not allowed to bring umbrellas, when it was time for the Holy Communion, I saw white umbrellas lining up and made their way to the center. These umbrellas actually were carried by assistants to cover a lay minister who distributed Communion to the thousands.

                           (The Pope on the screen in front)

              (And Godiva chocolates behind me!)

The attendees on our spot were lucky when two Catholic girls in front of me frantically waved to the lay minister to draw attention to the faithful (and sinners!) in our area, just like fans do when watching their favorite k-pop band on stage. But unlike k-pop bands who ignore the screaming fans and simply concentrate on their choreography and lip-syncing, the lay minister went straight to us! It turned out, most lay ministers gave communion even to those outside the barricade!  After receiving the Communion, I immediately realized that this was the highlight of my attending the beatification. Even though I didn't have a ticket and didn't have to wake up early, I was able to celebrate the beatification, hear the papal Mass and even receive the Holy Communion! I guess I was also 'blessed'! Perhaps Pope Francis could add one more non-Korean martyr to the list! Ha-ha-ha!

              (Emergency responders in orange and a               priest in a black cassock who reminded 
              me of the drama 'Thorn Birds')

     (The skies opened for some rays of light!)

And it was all over by noon time. The whole beatification was a success from many angles. From the campaign of the Korean Catholic church for the beatification of the 124 Korean martyrs, to the staging of the ceremony right in the middle of Seoul that required a lot of planning and preparation by the Church, the national police and the city government, to the selection and distribution of the thousands and thousands of tickets, and a lot of other things that weren't obvious on site and on the TV screens. 

                (The lay minister who came to our spot 
            and gave me the Holy Communion)

Let's count in some miracles like the weather. It wasn't that scorching with some grey clouds shielding the thousands from an otherwise intense sun. And it didn't rain that day; only the day after!

                     (Attendees flocking to the stall selling 
            souvenir t-shirts after the Mass)

           ("The Mass is ended. Go in peace.")

(The Mass is ended. Go and selfie.)

             (Even the police wanted a photo)

Two nights before the beatification, I actually went to Gwanghwamun Square to see for myself the preparations that were going on. Today, I considered myself lucky that I was one of the thousands who had the chance to attend it and even participate in it. I actually didn't need that ticket after all. I guess I just needed some wise transport planning, a bread and a drink, and a miracle or two.  

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

One week after the beatification, I went back to the Gwanghwamun Square. To write this blog, I visited the Godiva Chocolate shop, and got a seat next to their 3rd floor window. My spot during the beatification was right in front of this shop. At the cafe, I thought, with the Pope gone now, it was time to sin with Godiva's dark chocolate decadence! But having attended his beatification ceremony, I'm sure he'll forgive me. :-)

              (My sinful Godiva chocolate drink 
                  and my written confession) 

#popefrancis #popefrancisinkorea #papafrancisco #catholic #martyrs #seoul #Korea #gwanghwamun #godiva