Monsignor Kaboré of Burkina Faso thanked the Korean Church for the fraternal gesture, stressing that “it is a great honor to keep the relic of Saint Andrew Kim in a cathedral of Burkina Faso.”
Burkina Faso – Ouagadougou (30/11/2021 11:58, Gaudium Press) A relic of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first Korean Catholic priest, was handed over by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-Jung, Archbishop of Seoul, to Monsignor Julien Kaboré, Chargé d’Affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature of Manila and originally from the Archdiocese of Koupéla, Burkina Faso.
The ceremony was attended by Bishop Job Yobi Koo, Seoul’s Episcopal Vicar for Overseas Missionaries. The relic will be kept in the St. Joseph Parish of the Archdiocese of Koupéla, Burkina Faso, recently restored with funds collected by the faithful of the Yeouido parish of the Archdiocese of Seoul.
A great honour
The South Korean Prelate expressed his joy for giving the relic of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon to the parish of Saint Joseph, on the occasion marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of this Saint. “I am very happy that I have been given the opportunity to build fraternal solidarity between the Catholic Church in Korea and Burkina Faso through Saint Andrew Kim. I believe that this will allow us to be more deeply united in God’s love,” he said.
Msgr. Kaboré thanked the Korean Church for this fraternal gesture, noting that “It is such a great honour to enshrine the remains of St Andrew Kim at a cathedral in Burkina Faso and a sign of unity and the communion of saints. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Cardinal Yeom for his thoughtful consideration and support on behalf of His Excellency Gabriel Sayaogo, Archbishop of Koupela,”
Msgr. Kaboré is a Vatican diplomat, born in Burkina Faso, who, impressed by the story of the Korean martyrs during his previous post in the Apostolic Nunciature in Seoul, asked Cardinal Yeom for a relic of the Saint.
Who was St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon?
Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gon was the first Korean Catholic priest. Ordained a priest in 1845, he was persecuted and beheaded for his faith in 1846 at the age of 25. His canonization took place in 1984, during Pope Saint John Paul II’s visit to South Korea. (EPC)
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
