St. Andrew Kim Taegon Patron Saint of Korea

Biography St. Andrew Kim Taegon

St. Andrew Kim Taegon was born in 1821 in the Korean village of Sonchon, and was the son of a Confucian scholar and a devout Catholic mother. When he was a young boy, his mother was martyred for her faith, and this event had a profound impact on his own spiritual development.

At the age of 15, St. Andrew Kim Taegon entered the seminary and began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained a priest in China in 1845, and returned to Korea the following year. Despite the severe persecution of Catholics in Korea at the time, St. Andrew Kim Taegon worked tirelessly to evangelize and spread the Gospel. He traveled throughout the country, often in disguise, preaching and administering sacraments to the faithful.

St. Andrew is Persecuted for Spreading the Faith

St. Andrew Kim Taegon was arrested and imprisoned several times for his faith and his efforts to evangelize and spread the Gospel in Korea. At the time, the Korean government was actively suppressing the Catholic Church and punishing those who converted to Catholicism or practiced their faith openly. St. Andrew Kim Taegon was arrested and imprisoned for his efforts to evangelize and spread the Gospel, and for administering sacraments to the faithful.

Despite the danger and hardships he faced, St. Andrew Kim Taegon remained steadfast in his commitment to the Church and to sharing the love of Jesus with others. In 1846, St. Andrew Kim Taegon was arrested once again and sentenced to death for his faith. He was executed by beheading at the age of 25, becoming one of the first Korean martyrs. His unwavering faith and devotion to spreading the Gospel, even in the face of extreme persecution, earned him the title of saint.

The Lasting Legacy of St. Andrew Kim Taegon

St. Andrew Kim Taegon was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1984, along with 103 other Korean martyrs.

In the Catholic Church, the feast day of St. Andrew Kim Taegon is celebrated on September 20th. On this day, Catholics honor and remember the life and legacy of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean Catholic priest and a martyr who is venerated as a saint. St. Andrew Kim Taegon was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1984, along with 103 other Korean martyrs, and his feast day is celebrated on September 20th to commemorate his martyrdom and to honor his life and legacy.

On the feast day of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, Catholics may attend Mass and participate in other special events or activities to honor the saint. These may include prayers, devotions, and acts of charity or service in his honor. The feast day of St. Andrew Kim Taegon is an opportunity for Catholics to reflect on the witness of this remarkable saint and to draw inspiration from his life and example.

Today, St. Andrew Kim Taegon is the patron saint of Korea and is an inspiration to Catholics around the world. His life and legacy remind us of the importance of staying true to our faith, even in the face of adversity, and the power of the Gospel to transform lives.

Popular St. Andrew Kim Taegon Medal & Rosary

St. Andrew Kim Taegon Prayers

God, who have been pleased to increase your adopted children in all the world, and who made the blood of the Martyrs Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon and his companions a most fruitful seed of Christians, grant that we may be defended by their help and profit always from their example. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, pray for us.

Patron Saint of Korea

St. Andrew Kim Taegon is considered the patron saint of Korea because of his role in the spread of Catholicism in the country and his unwavering faith and devotion to the Church. St. Andrew Kim Taegon was the first Korean Catholic priest and spent his life in ministry to the Korean people

Saints Similar to St. Andrew Kim Taegon

You may also be interested in reading the St. Paul Chong Hasang and St. Augustine Zhao Rong. St. Andrew Kim Taegon, St. Paul Chong Hasang, and St. Augustine Zhao Rong were Korean martyrs who died for their faith in a time of persecution. They are often remembered together as symbols of the early growth of Christianity in Korea and the sacrifice of Korean Christians during the Joseon Dynasty. Next up: Biography of St. Andrew the Apostle

 

Also check out our handmade St. Andrew Kim Taegon Medal and St. Andrew Kim Taegon Rosary and St. Andrew Kim Taegon Rosary Bracelet.