String of events to celebrate first Korean cardinal's birth centennial

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Sun, October 1, 2023 | 21:36

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String of events to celebrate first Korean cardinal's birth centennial

Posted : 2022-06-02 16:51

Updated : 2022-06-03 16:26

Late cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, who served as Korea's first Roman Catholic cardinal / Korea Times file

By Park Han-sol

A string of masses and cultural events are set to take place this summer in celebration of the birth centennial of Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, Korea's first Roman Catholic cardinal who was regarded as a moral beacon during the country's tumultuous era of military dictatorship.

A memorial mass for the late cardinal is scheduled to take place at Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul at noon on June 5, according to the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul. The mass will be led by Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick.

Following the Communion, a blessing ceremony will be held at the entry of the cathedral to commemorate the new monument erected in time for Kim's birth centennial.

Mainly built with stone materials excavated during the cathedral's renovation several years ago, the monument is engraved with Jeong Ho-seung's poem entitled "Myeongdong Cathedral" in both Korean and English.

A series of cultural events and performances in honor of Kim are slated to kick off in July.

The Seoul Catholic Theater Association announced that it will launch a nationwide tour of its biographical play, "Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan," throughout the month in Seoul, Daegu, as well as Pohang and Andong in North Gyeongsang Province.

Another event includes a photo exhibition in Daegu from July 13 to 19, and at the Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan Memorial Park in Gunwi of North Gyeongsang Province from July 20 to 31. The show will feature images taken by photographer Seo Yeon-jun during the 1980s and printed on "hanji" (traditional Korean paper made from the inner bark of mulberry trees).

The cover of "The Saint Who Had Been with Us" / Courtesy of Seokyo Books

Earlier in May, a book in memory of the late cardinal was published under the title, "The Saint Who Had Been with Us."

The pages are filled with episodes and memories recalled by 20 individuals from all walks of life, including former and current journalists, priests and ascetics.

Born in 1922 in Daegu, Kim was ordained in 1951 during the Korean War and was promoted to Archbishop of Seoul in 1968, before being appointed as the country's first cardinal by Pope Paul VI the next year. He also headed the Diocese of North Korea's Pyongyang from 1975 to 1998.

During his lifetime, the cardinal was lauded as "the voice of conscience" among the nation's millions of Catholics and non-Catholics alike, as he supported the fight for democracy in the 1970s and 1980s, launching fierce criticism against the authoritarian rulers.

When he died in 2009 at the age of 86, nearly 400,000 citizens flocked to Myeongdong Cathedral to pay their final respects to the beloved spiritual leader.

hansolp@koreatimes.co.kr