The Pilgrimage Path of Solmoe: A Journey Through Faith and History
The fields of Ugang-myeon in Dangjin were painted in the deepest green of July.
The rice had not yet bowed its head, and under the cloudy sky, the green hue felt even richer.
In the distance, the mountain ridges, apartments, and factory roofs lined up in a row, with endless plains stretching out before them.
However, knowing that this flat land was once a place where seawater flowed in and out changes the way one views this landscape.
During the late Joseon Dynasty, Solmoe was a region where seawater would surge up to the village during high tide through the tributary of the Sapgyocheon River connected to the Yellow Sea.
Although it has all been reclaimed and transformed into rice fields, the name 'Hapo' remains in Songsan-ri, where the holy site is located.
This means 'lower port.' Because of the waterway, exchanges with the outside were easy, becoming a passage for Western missionaries and a route for spreading faith.
It was striking to realize that the tranquil rice fields before my eyes were once a port where boats came and went.
On one side of the fields, a signpost for the West Sea Trail stood tall.
It advised choosing a course suitable for one's physical strength, preparing emergency supplies, and refraining from night explorations.
This was a simple reminder for walkers. Although this path is designed for walking today, in the past, it was a route that someone had no choice but to walk.
The Bugnae Pilgrimage Path established in Dangjin spans about 13.3 km from Solmoe Holy Site to Sinri Holy Site, taking approximately 4 hours one way.
This path is referred to as 'Dangtiago,' meaning Santiago of Dangjin.
In fact, it has even signed an agreement with a domestic certification body for the Santiago pilgrimage path.
However, more important than the name is that this path is the very one walked by the early martyrs of the Catholic Church in Korea.
Centered around the Sapgyocheon port, faith blossomed, and today, one can walk the path where individuals hid from persecution while participating in a stamp tour.
As I approached the entrance of the holy site, I encountered a brown sign: 'Birthplace of UNESCO World Memorial Figure Father Kim Dae-geon, Solmoe Holy Site.'
Father Kim Dae-geon was selected as a UNESCO World Memorial Figure in 2021, marking the 200th anniversary of his birth.
This signifies that a single life has become a name that humanity should remember beyond religion and borders.
His birthplace is indeed Solmoe.
True to its name, Songsan (松山), meaning 'pine-covered mountain,' many pine trees still guard this place.
These pines felt like more than mere scenery; they seemed to convey the stories held by this land.
It was just after a heavy rain that obscured the view. A puddle formed beneath the stone wall, and ginkgo and pine trees stood quietly, soaking up the rainwater.
A single arrow pointed toward the interior of the holy site.
It was an unadorned entrance. Although the term 'pilgrimage' sounds grand, beginnings are always quiet like this.
The journey starts with stepping onto the wet dirt path and walking along the wall.
Upon entering the parking lot, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
Colorful flowers and figures were painted on the concrete barriers, and a large sculpture representing Pope Francis and Father Kim Dae-geon welcomed visitors.
The holy site, which seemed solemn, approached me with a bright and friendly demeanor contrary to my expectations.
On the rough concrete door, a stone cross was placed.
Looking up from below, the silhouette of the cross stood out against the cloudy sky.
Without elaborate decorations, its simplicity brought a sense of calm to my heart.
Passing through this door felt like entering a different time, moving from the outside world to the inner sanctum.
Crossing the threshold, my steps naturally slowed.
In August 2014, Pope Francis visited Solmoe Holy Site.
The opening ceremony of the Asian Youth Conference was held here, and the Pope came to be with the youth.
Since then, Solmoe Holy Site has become a destination for both domestic and international pilgrims.
In the same year, it was designated as the 529th national cultural heritage site.
The bright colors of the murals seemed to hold the memories of that special encounter.
Deeper inside, a semi-circular outdoor stage known as the Arena appeared.
The stone floor spread out like a fan, surrounded by thick columns.
This place hosts outdoor Masses and performances.
However, around this arena stand statues of the twelve apostles.
This circular space, easily overlooked, symbolizes the gathering of Jesus and his twelve disciples.
The empty stage is not a void but a place where new stories can begin at any time.
The plaza on a cloudy day felt even more expansive with fewer people.
The wide stone floor extended between the columns, and wooden benches faced a pine tree on one side.
A bent pine tree spread its branches widely beside the plaza.
Sitting on a bench and gazing at that tree, I felt my heart slowly settle.
The tranquility of the holy site felt like a gentle resonance created by the space itself rather than a forced silence.
As I entered the pine forest, a sign for the '14 Stations of the Cross' appeared.
This path expresses the fourteen stages of Jesus carrying the cross through sculptures along the forest trail.
It carries the meaning of reflecting on the significance of each stage as one walks.
Behind the sign, the Kim Dae-geon Memorial Hall emerged through the trees.
The stories of faith and the life of one person naturally intertwined in the same forest.
The pines of Solmoe mostly have bent trunks.
More trees have twisted their bodies under the weight of time than those that have grown straight.
Yet the leaves above remain unchanged and green.
People recall the spirit of martyrdom when they see these pines.
Even amidst indescribable pain, they maintained their faith, proclaiming, 'I am a Catholic.'
The bent trunks seemed to silently convey a message to those living today, reminding them to hold onto their faith.
The family of Father Kim Dae-geon produced martyrs over four generations.
His great-grandfather, Kim Jin-hoo, passed away in 1814 after over ten years of imprisonment.
His granduncle, Kim Jong-han Andrea, was martyred in Daegu in 1816, and his father, Kim Je-jun Ignatius, was martyred in Seoul in 1839.
Father Kim Dae-geon Andrea himself was martyred at the age of twenty-six in September 1846 at Saenamteo.
The reason each bent pine tree evokes a life story is likely found here.
I walked along a straight stone path through the trees.
Statues stood on both sides of the path, and the shade of the pines cooled the ground.
Deeper in, a hanok surrounded by a low stone wall appeared.
This is the birthplace of Father Kim Dae-geon.
Beside the fence stands a large zelkova tree, with a sign and a red dirt path leading onward.
It is not a grand tiled house but a simple and tidy old home.
Father Kim Dae-geon was born here in 1821 and lived until the age of seven, after which he left with his grandfather to escape persecution and never returned to this house.
In front of the birthplace's porch sits a statue of the Pope in a chair.
He gazes quietly at the birthplace from one side of the yard, not facing the house directly.
It is said that Pope Francis, who visited in 2014, also sat in front of Father Kim Dae-geon's birthplace and prayed.
A pilgrimage is ultimately about walking.
It is a journey that passes through rice fields, crosses the door of the cross, and leads to the house where a person was born.
In those steps, we momentarily walk alongside another's life, pausing before the questions left behind.
What will we let go of to protect what we hold dear?
It seems the pines, with their bent trunks yet unwavering green, silently hold the answers to that question.
A good path may tire the body a bit, but it soothes the heart.
The Bugnae Pilgrimage Path and Solmoe Holy Site are precisely that kind of path.
Bugnae Pilgrimage Path: Solmoe Holy Site → Hapdeok Reservoir → Hapdeok Church → Grave of Unknown Martyrs → Sinri Holy Site, approximately 13.3 km, about 4 hours on foot.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/dangjin2030/224347319114
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