Fri Sep 20 11:41:34 UTC 2024: ## Korean Martyrs Honored on September 20th: A Beacon of Faith Amidst Persecution
**Fresno, CA (September 20, 2024)** – Today, the Catholic Church remembers the Korean Martyrs, a group of individuals who sacrificed their lives for their faith during the Joseon Dynasty in Korea. Among them is St. Andrew Kim, the first native Korean ordained a Catholic priest.
The Korean Martyrs lived and died during a period of strict social hierarchy and isolationist policies. Despite the challenges, Christianity found fertile ground among Koreans, appealing to the masses with its emphasis on the equal dignity of all human beings.
The faith spread rapidly, with the first Korean layman, Yi Seung-hun, being baptized in Beijing in 1784. However, the Joseon Dynasty, fearing the influence of the outside world, enacted an anti-Christian edict in 1801. Despite the ban, Christianity flourished, with French missionaries arriving in Korea in 1836.
St. Andrew Kim, ordained in Shanghai in 1844 or 1845, became a beacon of hope for Korean Catholics. However, his ministry was short-lived. Arrested in 1846, he was martyred on September 16, 1846.
More than 100 years later, in 1984, Pope John Paul II canonized many of the Korean Martyrs, including St. Andrew Kim and several French missionaries.
The feast of the Korean Martyrs serves as a reminder of the power of faith in the face of adversity. It inspires us to persevere in our own faith, even when faced with challenges. As St. Paul reminds us, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17)
The story of the Korean Martyrs serves as a beacon of hope, reminding us that we too can make it with the grace of God.
First Piper 