Protesters occupy square of papal Mass

Bereaved relatives of the victims of this year’s Seoul ferry tragedy have occupied a square in the Korean capital where Pope Francis is scheduled to celebrate Mass this weekend.

Dozens of activists have been camped out in Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul for weeks, to demand an independent inquiry into the disaster that killed 476 people in April this year.

The demonstrators, some of whom are on hunger strike, have vowed to “fight back” if authorities attempt to clear the square. One million Catholics are expected to gather there for a special Mass celebrated by Francis today.

Protesters have written to Pope Francis. “Holy Father, please cry with us here together ... Please  protect us from being swept off the square in the name of preparing your Mass,” the letter read.

The Seoul ferry sank off the country’s south-west coast, killing 325 pupils from the Danwon High School in Ansan. A bill proposing an independent inquiry is deadlocked.

Meanwhile the rector of the Pontifical Korean College in Rome has reminded those following the 14-18 August visit that the Korean Church is a Church of the laity.

Fr John Kim Jong-su, told the German Tagespost newspaper: “I have always said that the Korean Church is a lay Church; 124 Korean martyrs will be beatified by Pope Francis [today]. They are Paul Yun Ji-Chung and his companions; 123 of them were laypeople. And the Korean Church already has 103 martyr saints, 92 of whom were laypeople”, he said.

In 1784, a scholar was sent to China as a diplomat, Fr Jong-su recalled. The diplomat was baptised in Beijing and brought several books on the Church back to Korea. “It was by studying these books that his group of friends found the faith and were baptised. At first they practised their faith without a priest. Seven years later, Paul Yun Ji-Chung, who is to be beatified by Pope Francis, was the first of them to die a martyr’s death,” Fr Jong-su recalled.