Pyongyang, North Korea, to be consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima

The diocese of Pyongyang in the capital city of North Korea will be consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima. Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Archbishop of Seoul, announced this on June 25, 2020 during a ceremony commemorating the beginning of the war 70 years ago to the day–at a time when tensions on the peninsula are once again on the increase.

On this occasion, the cardinal spoke about the significance of peace and harmony for the Korean peninsula, commemorating the approximately three million people who died during the war that broke out on June 25, 1950, the tragedy suffered by the refugees, the drama experienced by families that were torn apart and the persecution of Christians by the North Korean regime.

The announcement of the consecration of the diocese of Pyongyang was the highlight of the Holy Mass held at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul. Prayers for the reconciliation of the Korean people are being said there this year. The anniversary of the beginning of the war has fallen at a particularly tense time, a time when leaders in the North Korean regime have severed all communication channels with South Korea, blowing up a building in Kaesong on June 16^th that served as the joint liaison office for delegations of both countries.

Adapted from ACN International