St. Andrew Kim Taegon is recognized as the first Catholic priest in South Korea, and recently some of his relics were transferred to a West African parish in Burkina Faso.
According to a press release from the Archdiocese of Seoul, the relics will be enshrined at
St. Joseph parish of the Archdiocese of Koupéla, Burkina Faso.
Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, who has just retired as archbishop of Seoul, delivered the relics of St. Andrew Kim to Monsignor Julien Kaboré, who is originally from the Archdiocese of Koupéla, on November 23, 2021.
Bishop Job Yobi Koo, Episcopal Vicar for Overseas Missionaries, participated in the event as a Korean-French translator.
Cardinal Yeom expressed his joy of being able to deliver the remains of St. Andrew Kim to St. Joseph parish during the Jubilee of the 200th anniversary of St. Andrew Kim’s birth, which was celebrated from November 29, 2020 to November 27, 2021.
The prelate said, “I am very pleased to be given the opportunity to build fraternal solidarity between the Catholic Church in Korea and Burkina Faso through St. Andrew Kim. I believe that it will allow us to be more deeply united in the love of God.”
Mons. Kaboré was especially drawn to St. Andrew Kim's example of martyrdom and requested his relics to come to Burkina Faso.
