St. Andrew Kim Taegon
St. Andrew Kim Taegon, the patron saint of Korean clergy and the first Korean-born priest, evangelized and spread the Gospel in Korea during the mid-1840s. Baptized at age 15 he studied for the priesthood in Macau and the Phillipines. Following his ordination in Shanghai in 1844 he served the church for only two years before suffering martyrdom.
St. Andrew Kim Taegon was among several thousand Christians who were executed during the Joseon Dynasty, which sought to suppress Christianity in Korea during its rule. He was tortured and beheaded for his beliefs near Seoul in 1846 at the age of 25. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1925, then Pope John Paul II canonized St. Andrew Kim Taegon along with 102 other Korean martyrs in 1984 during a visit to Korea. The feast day of the Korean Martyrs in September 20th.
