Saint Augustin Yu Chin-gil

Augustine Yu Chin-gil (1791–September 22, 1839) was a Korean martyr and a saint of the Catholic Church. Born into a family of government officials, Augustine Yu Chin-gil was the father of Peter Yu Tae-ch’ŏl, the youngest of the canonized Korean martyrs. He was known as a man of deep contemplation. Seeking answers to the meaning of life, he studied Neo-Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, but did not find satisfactory answers until he encountered Christian teaching. Following the persecutions of 1801, there were no Catholic priests in Korea for a long time, so his first teacher was the layman Paul Chŏng Ha-sang. In October 1824, a diplomatic delegation traveled from Korea to Beijing. Yu Chin-gil secured a position as an interpreter for the mission and brought Paul Chŏng Ha-sang along disguised as his servant. Both men met with the Bishop of Beijing, and Yu Chin-gil requested baptism. They received instruction from local priests and informed the bishop of the difficulties facing the Church in Korea, particularly the lack of clergy. Due to persecutions in China, the bishop could not send missionaries to Korea, but he suggested they write a letter to the Pope requesting them. The bishop forwarded their letter to the representative of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in Macau, who translated it into Latin and sent it to the Pope. This letter led Pope Gregory XVI to establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Korea on September 9, 1831. During the persecution of Catholics, Augustine Yu Chin-gil was arrested at his home in July 1839. Despite being tortured in an attempt to force him to renounce his faith, he remained steadfast. He was beheaded in Seoul on September 22, 1839, alongside Paul Chŏng Ha-sang. His feast day is September 20, as part of the group of 103 Korean Martyrs. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI on July 5, 1925, and canonized by Pope John Paul II on May 6, 1984, as one of the 103 Korean Martyrs.