Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions were the 103 Christians martyred as a result of persecutions that took place from 1839 to 1867 in Korea. Saint Andrew was the first Korean priest and pastor, and the son of Christian converts; his father was also among those martyred in 1839. Saint Andrew left Korea to attend seminary in Macao, China, was ordained in Shanghai, and returned home. He was then assigned to arrange for the arrival of more missionaries into Korea; this activity led to his arrest, torture, and beheading. Other Christians martyred during this time included some priests and bishops, but most were lay people of all ages and vocations. Often enduring horrific tortures, they gave their lives in witness to their faith. These martyrs are the patrons of Korean clergy, and their feast day is September 20.
Sources: www.ewtn.com; www.catholic.org; www.franciscanmedia.org
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