Mirinae Holy Site (미리내 성지)

Description

The word ‘Mirinae,’ from the Mirinae Holy Site in Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, is a pure Korean word for the Milky Way. The site holds the graves of Saint Andreas Kim Daegeon, Korea’s first Catholic Saint; his mother Ursula; Bishop Ferréol, the third head of the Joseon parish who ordained Priest Kim; and Vincentius Lee Minsik who buried Saint Kim’s body. Visitors can feel the peaceful and serene atmosphere when walking around the site. The reason it came to be called ‘Mirinae’ is that Korean Catholics came to this place in secret to avoid persecution during the late Joseon dynasty, and the lamplight coming from their homes in the village where they settled resembled the starlight of the Milky Way.

data provided by Korea Tourism Organization