Danggogae Catholic Martyrs' Shrine (당고개순교성지)
Danggogae Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine is located on the small hill just
five minutes away from Yongsan Eletronics Market. 10 Catholics were
martyred on this hill during the Gihae Persecution in 1839 including Choi Gyeong-hwan (Francis)’s wife Lee Seong-rye (Maria).
Nine of the 10 martyrs are now recognized as saints. Lee Seong-rye, the mother of Father Thomas Choi Yang-eop (Korea’s second ordained priest), has not yet been canonized although she did suffer martyrdom. The reason was that the mother briefly put aside her faith because of the pressures of raising five children after she had her oldest son, Thomas. However,
the difficulty of combining these two interests was eventually overcome and she died a martyr.
Aside from serving as a memorial site, Danggogae Catholic Martyrs’ Shrine also offers a commanding view of Seoul. Nearby tourist attractions include Saenamteo Catholic Holy Place of the Martyrs, which is a Catholic church with Korean architecture, and Yongsan Family Park.
