Catholic Church In Korea

 103 Korean Martyr Saints



Ioannes B. Chon Chang-un


Chŏn Chang-un John Baptist (1811-1866)

   Chŏn Chang-un John was born in Seoul in 1811 and was baptized by his devout mother. Shortly after he was born, his father died. At an early age John had to support his family by farming and making leather bags.
   In 1839, he was arrested. However, since the roots of his faith were not deep enough yet, severe tortures and persecutions caused him to deny his faith and he was released from prison. After the persecution of 1839, he was sorry for his apostasy, but there was no priest he could talk to. John did not give up hope.
   In 1845, when the first Korean priest Kim Tae-Gon Andrew returned to Korea, John received the sacrament of penance and lived a very good Christian life, earning the respect and admiration of his fellow Catholics.
   John married and had three children. Bishop Berneux saw that he was a very faithful Christian, gave him authority to baptize, and made him a publisher of Catholic books together with Ch'oe Peter.
   When the persecution started anew, the owner of the printing house Im Joseph escaped, but John remained at the house, trying to save the wooden printing blocks. He would not listen to those who urged him to escape, saying: "I have to follow God's will. I have to save these wooden printing blocks."
   On March 1, 1866, the police rushed into the printing house, arrested John and confiscated the wooden printing blocks. He was severely tortured, but endured all the pain, calling out the names of Jesus and Mary. After torture for three days he was sentenced to death on March 8, 1866. The next day he was to be beheaded outside the Small West Gate. When he reached the site of execution, he found out that the man who was supposed to cut his neck was an ex-Catholic and an old acquaintance. The executioner hesitated to cut John's neck. John told him: "You obey the king, and I obey God. Why do you hesitate?" So, John was beheaded and was buried three days later. John was 56 years old when he died for his faith.

List of Articles
No. Subject Views
Notice Stories of the Lives of the 103 Korean Martyr Saints 314192
89 우세영 알렉시오 Alexius U Se-yong 39871
88 정의배 마르코 Marcus Chong Ui-bae 36048
87 최형 베드로 Petrus Choe Hyong 54831
» 전장운 요한 Ioannes B. Chon Chang-un 40772
85 남종삼 요한 Ioannes B. Nam Chong-sam 33945
84 볼리외 루도비코 Ludovicus Beaulieu 33091
83 도리 헨리코 Henricus Dorie 37226
82 랑페르 드 브르뜨니애르 유스토 Iustus Ranfer de Bretenières 39436
81 베르뇌 시므온 Simeon Berneux 39402
80 유정률 베드로 Petrus Yu Chong-nyul 63087
79 정철염 가타리나 Catharina Chong Chor-yom 38647
78 이간난 아가타 Agatha Yi Kan-nan 42097
77 김임이 데레사 Teresia Kim Im-i 37078
76 임치백 요셉 Ioseph Im Chi-baeg 33307
75 우술임 수산나 Susanna U Sur-im 37085

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