SLIDESHOW: 'Holy oppa' St. Andrew Kim Taegon leaves a piece of Korea in Bulacan

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SLIDESHOW: 'Holy oppa' St. Andrew Kim Taegon leaves a piece of Korea in Bulacan

Jacqueline Parairo,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Apr 06, 2023 12:11 PM PHT

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Many Korean drama and K-pop fans flock to the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon in the heart of Bocaue, Bulacan for its sprawling grounds filled with Korean-inspired scenery perfect for social media posts. But this sacred place has more history than meets the eye.

St. Andrew Kim, known as the first Korean-born Catholic priest and South Korea's patron saint, resided there to study for priesthood as persecutions against Catholics waged in Korea during the Joseon dynasty.

Here are some photos of the shrine:

The facade of the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon features pagoda-style architecture, mirroring the structure of temples across East Asia.

Bible verses written in Korean greet visitors as they enter the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon.

A statue of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, given by the Archbishop of Seoul in 1986 to the parish, stands in a shady alcove in the garden of the shrine.

A museum in honor of St. Andrew Kim Taegon contains memorabilia of the saint, including his letters, statuettes, portraits, and more.

Housed in the museum of the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, this statuette of the saint wearing his stole and traditional clothing rests below a mural of Jesus Christ.

This altar is made from the wood of St. Andrew Kim Taegon’s beloved mango tree, and now holds the statuette of the saint and functions as a place where devotees insert their petitions.

St. Andrew Kim Taegon was fluent in several languages including Latin, French, Spanish, English, and Mandarin. These are some of his surviving letters.

Behind Jesus Christ’s image in the chapel of the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon is another piece of the saint’s favorite mango tree, now turned into a crucifix.

Cultures collide in the chapel of the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon, as seen in this photo of the Virgin Mary wearing hanbok, the traditional garb of Koreans.

A statue of Pope John Paul II stands on the grounds of the Shrine of St. Andrew Kim Taegon. The pope canonized the saint on May 6, 1984.

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