首爾 X 明洞聖堂 X 喧囂鬧區中寧靜聖地
明洞聖堂
首爾市中區明洞2街1-8/地鐵424明洞站
開燈時間:04:30-21:30(廣場24小時開放)
天主教首爾總教區的主教座堂，位於韓國首都首爾中區明洞。
其正式名稱為「天主教首爾總教區教座明洞大聖堂」。
走訪了許多國家，原本以為只有在澳洲或關島，
才有機會走在熱鬧的市區中，一轉彎可以預見一座教堂，
這次到韓國，沒想到就在熱鬧明洞商圈旁邊，
有這麼一座漂亮天主教堂。
美麗的夜晚星空中，教堂明亮的玻璃燈與星空相連，
另外，他也在附近林立的商辦大樓圍繞著，亞洲的人生活，
似乎都是穿梭在忙碌兩字，這天來到時，已經夜晚近九點，
看到許多上班族情侶與夫妻，來到教堂這邊走走，
或許在壅擠的城市中，這裡是一個緩衝地，讓心情完全的沉澱，
為明天的生活與工作努力。
Myeong-dong Cathedral/ Info/ http://www.mdsd.or.kr/english/parish.asp
Myeong-dong Cathedral, situated in the heart of downtown Seoul,
is both the Cathedral Church for the Archdiocese of Seoul and has
become a symbol of the presence of the Catholic Church in Korea.
In 1784, the first faith community in Korea gathered in this place
which was then known as Myeong-Nae-Bang.
In 1894, Father Coste began planning for the construction of the church,
and on May 29, 1898, the Church was consecrated with Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception as its patron. In 1900 the relics of the martyrs who
had died in the persecutions of 1839 and 1866 were moved from
Yong-San seminary to the crypt in Myeong-dong Cathedral.
In 1942 the frist Korean parish priest, Fr. Rhee Ki-Jun,
was appointed pastor of Myeong-dong, and the first Korean Bishop Rho Ki-Nam
was raised to the episcopate there. On Liberation Day, 1945,
the name of the Cathedral was changed from Chong-Hyen to Myeong-dong.
In the 1970’s and 1980’s, Myeong-dong Cathedral became a focal point for
the democratic movement in Korea and has played an important role in the expansion
of human rights. Currently, Myeong-dong Cathedral continues to reach out to the global
community with prayer and missionary work. Myeong-dong Cathedral is the first brick church
in Korea built in the Gothic style. Designated historic spot No. 258, the Myeong-dong Church
has significant historical value embedded in its architecture. The floor plan of the church is Latin
cross with a center and two side aisles, and the roof of the church is 23 meters in height.
The bell tower is 45 meters tall. The architecture retains the pure Gothic style without adornments.
