DECRETAL DELIVERY CEREMONY

[Anchor Lead]

In November of 2020, the Vatican had designated the Haemi International Sanctuary in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do Province as an international pilgrimage site. The Vatican had sent a decretal in the past spring proclaiming the pilgrimage site designation, but its delivery was postponed because of the prolonged pandemic. But now, eight months later, a decretal delivery ceremony was held at last.

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Some 2,000 nameless Catholics were buried alive here at Yeosutgol during the 1866 oppression. The Vatican designated this location as an international pilgrimage site in November 2020 to remember the sacrifice of those nameless martyrs. The designation had nothing to do with Catholic history or a famous saint. A decretal for the proclamation was issued this spring, but an official ceremony was postponed because of the pandemic. Now, a ceremony is finally held eight months later. The decretal emphasized the spiritual riches that pilgrims can find at this holy ground.

[Soundbite] Bishop Augustine Kim Jong-soo(Catholic Diocese of Daejeon) : "The decretal proclaimed that just like the Camino de Santiago, this pilgrimage site has universal values."

There are only about 30 international pilgrimage sites worldwide. The Haemi holy ground is only the second one in Korea, following the Seoul Catholic Pilgrimage Routes proclaimed in 2018. The Vatican’s proclamation sparked efforts to remember the history of Catholicism in Korea and to attract pilgrims from all over the globe. Next year, local authorities will start preparing the sacred sites including the road where the martyrs walked during their transfer and pilgrimage. The aim is to keep the sites open even into the night to offer peace and healing to visitors.

[Soundbite] Maeng Jeong-ho(Seosan Mayor) : "We will make the Haemi International Sanctuary a place where many tourists from all over the world can find a peace of mind."

A project to build an expansive pilgrimage tour complex will pick up speed as many Catholic sites are located in the Naepo region near the Haemi International Pilgrimage Site.