Feast Day: September 20

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon holds a unique place in the history of the Catholic Church. He was the first native-born Korean Catholic priest and one of the most prominent martyrs of the Korean Church. His life was brief—he lived only twenty-five years—but his faith, missionary zeal, courage, and willingness to give his life for Christ left an enduring witness.

Together with Saint Paul Chong Hasang and their companions, he is commemorated on September 20 as one of the Korean Martyrs. The 103 Korean martyrs were canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II in Seoul on May 6, 1984. (Vatican News)

A Faith Born Without Missionaries

The story of Christianity in Korea is remarkable because the Catholic faith initially took root there largely through the efforts of lay people.

During the late eighteenth century, Korean scholars encountered Christian writings that had been brought from China. Some became deeply interested in the Christian message and began studying the faith. In 1784, one of these scholars traveled to China, encountered a Catholic priest, and received baptism. When he returned to Korea, the faith began to spread among other people.

When a Chinese priest finally entered Korea in 1794, he discovered an already-existing Christian community of about 4,000 believers. Within the following decades, the Catholic community continued to grow despite persecution. (Vatican News)

It was into this courageous Church that Andrew Kim Taegon was born.

A Child of a Catholic Family

Andrew Kim Taegon was born on August 21, 1821, in Solmoe, in what is now South Korea. His family had embraced the Catholic faith at a time when Christianity was prohibited by the authorities.

His family paid a heavy price for following Christ. Several members of his family suffered martyrdom because of their Catholic faith. His grandfather and father were among those who died as martyrs. Pope Francis later recalled this family history when speaking about Saint Andrew Kim’s witness. (Vatican News)

From his earliest years, Andrew therefore understood that being a Christian was not simply a matter of belonging to a religious community. Faith could demand sacrifice—even the sacrifice of one’s life.

Called to the Priesthood

At the age of fifteen, Andrew was chosen for priestly formation. Because there were no native Korean priests at the time, his formation required him to leave his homeland.

He eventually traveled to Macau, where he studied for the priesthood. His journey was long and difficult, and returning to Korea was dangerous because the Christian faith was being persecuted. (Vatican News)

Andrew persevered.

His desire was not simply to become a priest for himself. He wanted to return to Korea and serve the Christian community that was suffering without sufficient access to the sacraments.

The First Korean Catholic Priest

Andrew was ordained a priest in Shanghai in 1845 by Bishop Jean Joseph Ferréol, becoming the first Korean-born Catholic priest. (Vatican News)

His priesthood lasted only about thirteen months.

After his ordination, Father Andrew returned to Korea and began ministering to the faithful. He worked to support the underground Catholic community and assisted in efforts to bring foreign missionaries safely into Korea.

His priestly ministry required enormous courage. Christianity remained illegal, and Catholics risked arrest and death.

Yet Father Andrew continued his work.

A Priest Who Knew the Cost of Faith

Andrew understood the meaning of Christian discipleship.

In a letter written to his fellow Catholics before his martyrdom, he reminded them that Christians must not merely bear the name of Christian but must actually live as Christians. The Vatican’s account of his life preserves his appeal:

“We have received baptism… and the honor of being called Christians. Yet what good will this do us if we are Christians in name only and not in fact?” (Vatican News)

These words summarize the heart of his spirituality.

For Andrew, Christianity was not a label. It was a life of faith, love, courage, fidelity, and complete trust in Jesus Christ.

Arrest and Imprisonment

In 1846, Father Andrew was arrested by the authorities.

He was interrogated and imprisoned. His enemies wanted him to abandon Christianity and reveal information concerning the Catholic community and the missionaries.

But Andrew remained faithful.

He was only twenty-five years old.

The young priest knew that his earthly life was coming to an end, but he believed that death would open the way to eternal life.

His courage was not hatred toward those who persecuted him. Rather, it was the courage of a Christian who had entrusted his entire life to Christ.

Martyrdom

On September 16, 1846, Saint Andrew Kim Taegon was executed at Saenamteo near Seoul. He was beheaded at the age of twenty-five. (Vatican News)

Before his death, he encouraged his executioners to consider the Christian faith. According to the Vatican’s account, he proclaimed that he was dying for God and that his immortal life was beginning. (Vatican News)

His death did not destroy the Catholic Church in Korea.

Instead, his blood became part of the seed from which the Korean Church continued to grow.

“Are You a Catholic?”

One of the most memorable aspects of Saint Andrew’s final witness is the simplicity of his faith.

When questioned about his Christian identity, he did not attempt to hide his faith.

He was a Catholic.

He remained a Catholic.

And he was willing to die as a Catholic.

During the bicentenary celebrations of his birth, the Catholic Church in Korea recalled the question put to him by his persecutors: “Are you a Catholic faithful?” His answer was essentially an unwavering affirmation of his Catholic identity. (Vatican News)

His witness challenges Christians today with an important question:

Do we merely call ourselves Christians, or do we truly live as disciples of Christ?

Canonization

The Church officially recognized the holiness of Andrew Kim Taegon and the Korean martyrs.

Andrew was beatified in 1925. On May 6, 1984, Pope Saint John Paul II canonized Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and their companions in Seoul during his pastoral visit to Korea. The group of 103 martyrs included men and women, clergy and laity, young and old. (Vatican News)

Their feast is celebrated on September 20 in the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar.

Saint Andrew Kim is especially remembered as a patron and model for the clergy of Korea.

A Witness to the Power of the Laity

The story of Saint Andrew Kim cannot be separated from the story of the wider Korean Church.

Before there were sufficient priests and missionaries, lay Catholics helped preserve and spread the faith. Many of them eventually suffered martyrdom.

This makes the Korean Church an extraordinary testimony to the missionary vocation of ordinary Christians.

The faith was transmitted from one person to another—from family to family, from friend to friend, and from generation to generation.

Saint Andrew Kim emerged from this community and then gave his life in service of it.

A Model of Priestly Zeal

For priests, Saint Andrew Kim is an inspiring model of pastoral courage.

He had very little time to exercise his priestly ministry. He was ordained in 1845 and martyred in 1846.

Yet he did not measure his priesthood by length of service.

He measured it by fidelity.

He was willing to travel great distances, endure danger, serve persecuted Christians, assist missionaries, preach the Gospel, and finally surrender his life for Christ.

His life reminds every priest that priestly ministry is ultimately about Christ and His people, not personal comfort or security.

A Model for Young People

Saint Andrew Kim was only twenty-five when he died.

His story is therefore particularly powerful for young Catholics.

He demonstrates that holiness is not something reserved for old age.

A young person can possess profound faith.

A young person can serve the Church.

A young person can evangelize.

A young person can make courageous decisions for Christ.

His life reminds young people that age is not an obstacle to holiness. What matters is the generosity with which one responds to God’s call.

Faith in the Midst of Suffering

Saint Andrew Kim did not receive an easy path after answering God’s call.

His vocation involved separation from home, difficult journeys, danger, persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death.

Yet suffering did not make him abandon Christ.

Instead, suffering revealed the depth of his faith.

This is an important lesson for Christians today. Following Jesus does not guarantee a life without difficulties. Sometimes faithfulness requires perseverance precisely when circumstances become difficult.

The Christian does not believe that suffering has the final word.

Christ does.

The Grain of Wheat

Pope Francis reflected on Saint Andrew Kim’s life in 2023, recalling the words of Jesus:

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
— John 12:24

The Pope presented Saint Andrew as a precious seed of the Korean Church and recalled his witness of faith and evangelization. (Vatican)

This image beautifully describes the life of the Korean martyr.

Andrew died young.

But his witness continued to bear fruit.

The Church he served survived persecution, and the Korean Catholic community continued to grow.

Saint Andrew Kim and Evangelization

Saint Andrew teaches us that evangelization is not merely the work of missionaries.

Every Christian has received the responsibility of witnessing to Christ.

We evangelize through:

• the way we live;
• the way we treat our families;
• our honesty at work;
• our compassion toward the suffering;
• our forgiveness;
• our prayer;
• our courage in defending truth;
• and our willingness to serve others.

Saint Andrew’s evangelization was not separated from his life.

His entire life became a proclamation of the Gospel.

Saint Andrew Kim’s Legacy Today

Saint Andrew Kim remains an important figure in Korean Catholic life.

His birthplace at Solmoe has become a place of pilgrimage, and his memory continues to inspire Catholics in Korea and throughout the world.

In 2023, a statue of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon was installed in an exterior niche of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Pope Francis addressed Korean pilgrims on the occasion and spoke of Andrew’s missionary zeal and his witness of faith. (Vatican News)

The placement of his statue at the heart of the universal Church is a visible reminder of the extraordinary growth of Christianity in Korea and of the sacrifice made by the Korean martyrs.

Lessons from Saint Andrew Kim Taegon

1. Faith must become life

Saint Andrew challenged Christians not to be Christians merely in name. Our faith must shape our decisions, relationships, priorities, and daily life.

2. Courage comes from Christ

Andrew was not fearless because he was naturally strong. His courage came from his confidence in Christ and the hope of eternal life.

3. Young people can become great witnesses

Andrew was only twenty-five when he gave his life. Holiness does not depend upon age.

4. The Gospel can flourish even in difficult circumstances

The Korean Church began and developed under extremely difficult conditions. Persecution did not prevent the Gospel from taking root.

5. Every Christian has a missionary vocation

The first generations of Korean Catholics spread the faith largely through lay initiative. Their example reminds us that evangelization belongs to the whole Church.

6. Martyrdom is a witness of love

The martyrs did not seek death for its own sake. They remained faithful to Christ when asked to abandon Him.

7. Eternal life changes the way we face death

Saint Andrew faced death because he believed that death was not the end. His hope was rooted in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon and the Eucharist

For Saint Andrew, priesthood meant bringing Christ to a persecuted community.

The Eucharist was therefore at the heart of the priestly mission he desired to fulfill.

His life reminds us of the precious gift of the Sacraments. We can sometimes receive the Eucharist, Confession, and other Sacraments without considering how precious they are. Saint Andrew and the Korean Catholics of his generation knew what it meant to live without easy access to priests and the Eucharist.

Their hunger for the Sacraments can renew our appreciation for them.

Every Holy Mass is a gift.

Every Holy Communion is an encounter with Christ.

Every Confession is an experience of God’s mercy.

Saint Andrew’s life invites us never to take these gifts for granted.

A Saint for the Persecuted Church

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon also remains a powerful intercessor for Christians who suffer because of their faith.

Across the world, Christians continue to experience discrimination, persecution, imprisonment, displacement, and violence.

The Korean martyrs remind us to pray for them.

They also remind us that the Church’s strength does not ultimately depend upon political power, wealth, buildings, or social influence.

The Church lives by the grace of Christ.

Prayer to Saint Andrew Kim Taegon

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon,
faithful priest and courageous martyr,
you loved Jesus Christ above everything else.

You served the Church in difficult times
and remained faithful when faithfulness cost you your life.

Pray for priests, seminarians, missionaries,
and all who are called to proclaim the Gospel.

Pray for young people,
that they may have the courage to follow Christ
with generous hearts.

Pray for families,
that they may become schools of faith,
prayer, love, and forgiveness.

Pray for Christians who suffer persecution
because of their faith.

Help us never to be Christians only in name.
Teach us to live our faith faithfully
in our homes, workplaces, communities, and society.

Obtain for us the grace to remain faithful to Jesus
in times of joy and in times of suffering.

May we, like you,
trust completely in Christ
and never be ashamed of the Gospel.

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon,
first Korean priest and martyr,
pray for us.

Saint Paul Chong Hasang and companions,
pray for us.

All Korean Martyrs,
pray for us.

Amen.

Conclusion

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon’s life was short, but it was completely given to Christ.

He was born into a persecuted Catholic family, answered the call to priesthood, traveled far from his homeland for his formation, became Korea’s first native-born priest, returned secretly to serve the faithful, and finally gave his life as a martyr.

His witness can be summarized in one simple challenge:

Do not merely be called a Christian—live as a Christian.

His blood, together with that of the Korean martyrs, became part of the spiritual foundation of the Korean Church.

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon reminds us that one life completely surrendered to Christ can continue to inspire generations.

May his intercession strengthen the Church, encourage priests and missionaries, inspire young people, comfort persecuted Christians, and help each of us remain faithful to Jesus until the end.

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon, pray for us!

Saint Andrew Kim Taegon and the Korean Martyrs, pray for the Church!

Sources and Further Reading

• Vatican News, Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and Companions, Korean Martyrs. (Vatican News)
• Vatican News, Korean Church marks 200th birth anniversary of first priest, St. Andrew Kim. (Vatican News)
• Pope Francis, Address to Pilgrims from Korea, September 16, 2023. (Vatican)
• Vatican News, Pope holds Korean saint as model of faith and evangelization. (Vatican News)

This version is suitable for nelsonmcbs.com and can also be expanded with a Malayalam section, Scripture reflections, a short homily, or a collection of authentic sayings of Saint Andrew Kim Taegon.