YeosanSupjeongi

Baekjisa Site

Baedari

Yeosanis a martyrdom site of the 1866 병인박해(Byung-in Persecution) and isthe second major shrine of the Diocese of Jeonju. Under the isolationist andanti-Catholic policies of Heungseon Daewongun, many hidden Catholics werearrested and brought to the Yeosan government office; among them, 23 laid downtheir lives as witnesses to the truth. Including the unknown martyrs, this islikely the second largest martyrdom group after Jeonju Supjeongi.

Oneof the martyrs, 김성첨(Kim Seong-cheom), encouraged the sufferingfaithful, saying: “If we hope to enjoy heaven’s blessedness, can we not endurethis much suffering? Let us bear it with willing hearts.” Even in prison theyprayed constantly together, strengthening one another in faith while enduringtorture and hunger.

Somewere executed by beheading or hanging at Supjeongi or the marketplace; otherswere suffocated at Baekjisa by layering wet paper over their faces; stillothers were drowned alive beneath the Baedari bridge with their hands and feetbound.