ECCLESIA IN ASIA A Korean image of the Virgin in the Vatican Gardens

She was blessed on the feast of St. Andrew Kim in the presence of the Korean bishops during their ad limina visit. The Virgin is dressed in a hanbok, the traditional Korean dress, and is represented as Our Lady of Peace. “That she may intercede for reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.”

Vatican City () – A new mosaic of Mary Queen of Peace, holding the Infant Jesus in her arms and dressed in a hanbok – the traditional Korean costume – has been in the Vatican Gardens for several days. The ceremony to bless the mosaic of Our Lady of Korea took place on 20 September, the feast of St Andrew Kim and other Korean martyrs, presided over by Card. Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, president of the Commission for Vatican City State. More than 200 people participated, including Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung Sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, and the Korean bishops who were in Rome on an ad limina visit in recent days.

Card. You Heung Sik, former bishop of Daejeon and the first Korean to head a Vatican dicastery, was the one who asked Pope Francis for permission in May 2023 to place a Korean image of the Madonna in the Vatican gardens, where there are representations of the Virgin Mary from around the world. The pontiff immediately responded: “It’s a good idea.”

The artist Shim Soonhwa first painted the image on a canvas that was donated to the Dicastery for the Clergy; the mosaic was later made in Korea, and completed with the Carrara marble moulding. The hanbok worn by the Virgin is red and turquoise green, symbolising motherhood and peace respectively. The Infant Jesus has also been depicted wearing the traditional Korean clothing of small children. “In the course of my work,” said the artist, “I remembered and prayed for those who suffer from war around the world and asked the Mother to bring them peace.”

The mosaic was placed in the Master Bastion of the Vatican Gardens, where there are already other images of the Virgin from 11 countries around the world, including the Philippines, Colombia and Uruguay. At the blessing of the work, Card. Fernando Vérgez Alzaga said: “All those who pass by the image of Our Lady of Korea will remember Korea and pray for peace to be achieved on the Korean Peninsula with the intercession of Our Lady of Peace.”

For his part, the president of the Korean Bishops’ Conference, Msgr. Mathias Lee Yong-hoon, Bishop of Suwon, after thanking Card. Lazzaro You Heung Sik for promoting the initiative, added: “I firmly believe that the movement for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula will accelerate rapidly with the blessing of the mosaic of Our Lady of Korea.” He also asked the cardinal to do everything possible so that the Korean faithful can visit this place and pray to Our Lady here.

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