'Majae Shrine blends religion, history and natural environment — a precious asset for Namyangju'
Namyangju Mayor Choi Hyun-deok has traveled to the Vatican to formally seek a pastoral visit by Pope Leo XIV to Majae Shrine in Namyangju, ahead of the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day.
Choi and his delegation met Monday with Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Holy See, and delivered a personal letter requesting that Pope Leo XIV include Majae Shrine in his itinerary during a planned visit to South Korea.
The trip was organized to use the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day as an opportunity to draw international attention to the historical and religious significance of Majae Shrine — designated a "Holy Martyrs' Family Shrine" — and to elevate its standing as a global pilgrimage destination.
During his meeting with Cardinal You, Choi asked that Majae Shrine, located in Joan-myeon, Namyangju, be included as an official stop on the pope's itinerary.
Majae Shrine holds the history of Korea's early Catholic laity, who embraced the faith through independent scholarly inquiry. It is particularly associated with the Jeong Yak-jong family, who maintained their faith and died as martyrs amid persecution, making it a site where visitors can reflect on both family community and the meaning of martyrdom.
Choi, a Catholic whose baptismal name is Andrea Kim Daegeon, wove his own pilgrimage experience into the personal letter delivered to the pope. In May 2024, he completed the approximately 920-kilometer Camino de Santiago and later published a memoir of the journey.
In the letter, Choi wrote: "Walking the Camino de Santiago, I came to realize that life is not a solitary journey but one walked hand in hand with others." He added that the experience led him to rediscover Majae Shrine in Namyangju — "a sacred pilgrimage site where an entire family walked together in faith."
"Majae Shrine is a precious asset for Namyangju, where religion, history and the natural environment come together in harmony," he wrote. "Carrying the hopes of 740,000 Namyangju citizens, I will work closely with relevant organizations to make the pope's visit to Namyangju a reality."
On Tuesday, the second day of their Vatican visit, Choi and the delegation are scheduled to meet with Shin Hyung-sik, South Korea's ambassador to the Holy See, to discuss ways to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Vatican. The delegation plans to continue follow-up consultations to ensure that a visit to Majae Shrine is reflected in the detailed itinerary for the pope's trip to Korea.
Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit South Korea to attend the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day — the largest Catholic youth gathering in the world — which will be held in Seoul from Aug. 3 to Aug. 8 next year.
pjh@heraldcorp.com
