10 Days Korea Martyr's Pilgrimage

The Korean Martyrs Catholic Pilgrimage is a spiritual journey through South Korea’s historic Catholic sites honoring thousands of Korean Christians who were persecuted and killed for their faith during the Joseon Dynasty in the 18th and 19th centuries. Between 8,000 and 10,000 Catholics were martyred during repeated persecutions from 1791 to 1866.

The pilgrimage centers especially on Seoul, which hosts Asia’s first Vatican-recognized international Catholic pilgrimage route. The route connects churches, shrines, and execution grounds associated with the Korean martyrs, including St. Andrew Kim Taegon—the first Korean Catholic priest—and St. Paul Chong Hasang.

Major pilgrimage sites include:

• Myeongdong Cathedral – Korea’s most famous Catholic cathedral and spiritual heart of Korean Catholicism.
• Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine – one of the largest martyrdom sites where many Catholics were executed.
• Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine (“Beheading Hill”) – memorial site overlooking the Han River where mass executions occurred during the 1866 persecution.
• Saenamteo Shrine – execution site of priests and foreign missionaries, including St. Andrew Kim Taegon.

Pilgrims walk these routes to remember the courage and steadfast faith of the martyrs, pray at the shrines, attend Mass, and reflect on themes of sacrifice, forgiveness, and evangelization. The pilgrimage also highlights how Christianity in Korea was uniquely founded and spread largely by lay believers before foreign missionaries arrived.

Today, the Korean Martyrs Pilgrimage is both a religious devotion and a cultural-historical experience, drawing Catholics from around the world who wish to deepen their faith while learning about one of the most remarkable stories of Christian witness in Asia.