Namyangju Mayor Hyunduk Choi Officially Requests Papal Visit to Majae Shrine at Vatican

Official Letter Delivered to Cardinal Lazarus You
Congressman Yongmin Kim Accompanies the Visit
Efforts to Include Papal Visit in the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day Itinerary
Meeting with Ambassador Shinhyung Sik to the Holy See Scheduled for the 25th
Mayor Choi: "Uniting the Hopes of 740,000 Citizens to Establish a Global Pilgrimage Site"

Hyunduk Choi, Mayor of Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, visited the Vatican to secure a visit by Pope Leo XIV to the Majae Martyrs' Shrine in Namyangju ahead of the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD).

Mayor Hyunduk Choi of Namyangju is visiting Cardinal Yu Heung-sik in the Vatican on the 24th (local time) and delivering a letter requesting a pastoral visit to the Pope Leo XIV Martyrdom Site. Provided by Namyangju City

Namyangju City announced that Mayor Choi and Congressman Yongmin Kim (Namyangju-byeong) met with Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, at the Vatican on the 24th (local time), and delivered an official letter requesting the Pope’s pastoral visit to the Majae Martyrs’ Shrine.

During his meeting with Cardinal You, Mayor Choi requested that the Majae Shrine in Joan-myeon, Namyangju be included as an official stop in the Pope’s itinerary during his visit to Korea. This initiative was undertaken to promote the historical and religious significance of Majae Shrine—the Holy Family Martyrs' Shrine—on the global stage and to develop it into an international pilgrimage site.

Majae Shrine holds the legacy of Korean Catholic laypeople who adopted and practiced faith through independent scholarly pursuits during the early days of Catholicism in Korea. It is where the family of Yakjong Jeong maintained their faith under persecution and were martyred, making it a site where visitors can reflect on the importance of family community and the spirit of martyrdom.

Mayor Choi, a Catholic, bears the baptismal name “Andrea Daegeon.” In May 2024, he completed the 920-kilometer Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and published a travelogue titled “You May Discover Something While Walking.”

In his letter to the Pope, Mayor Choi wrote, “During my journey on the Camino de Santiago, I realized that life is not a solitary path but a journey hand in hand with others,” adding, “In Namyangju, we have the Majae Shrine, a sacred pilgrimage site where an entire family walked together in faith.”

He continued, “Majae Shrine is a treasured asset of Namyangju, blending religion, history, and its ecological environment,” and added, “On behalf of Namyangju’s 740,000 citizens, we will work closely with all relevant institutions to make the Pope’s visit to Namyangju a reality.”

Mayor Hyunduk Choi (right) is exchanging opinions with Cardinal You Heung-sik (center) and Congressman Yongmin Kim regarding the pastoral visit to Pope Leo XIV's Martyrdom Shrine at the Vatican on the 24th (local time). Provided by Namyangju City

On the 25th, Mayor Choi and his delegation will meet with Ambassador Shinhyung Sik to the Holy See from the Republic of Korea to discuss avenues for exchange and cooperation with the Vatican. Follow-up discussions are also planned to ensure that the Pope’s detailed itinerary during his visit to Korea includes the Majae Shrine.

Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV is expected to visit Korea next year from August 3 to 8 to attend the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day, the largest Catholic youth event, which will be held in Seoul.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.