by Pascale RizkSeoul – Despite temperatures reaching 40°C, the highest recorded in South Korea in eight years, numerous religious congregations and associations helped bring the “Catholic Culture Fair” to life in Seoul on August 8 and 9. The event was conceived as a “pilot” initiative in preparation for World Youth Day , which will be held in Seoul from August 3 to 7, 2027.Along the stone walkway of Deoksugung Palace, around 48 religious orders, congregations and institutes of consecrated life set up stands, including the Jesuits, the Society of the Sacred Heart, the Daughters of St. Paul, the Discalced Carmelite Missionaries, the Korean Martyrs Blessed Family and many others, together with various apostolic groups and movements. The aim of the initiative was to raise awareness and experience aspects of ecclesial life and cultural expressions that, in the Korean context, have their roots in the Catholic faith.In addition to viewing posters displayed at the stands illustrating the history of Catholicism in Korea, passers-by and visitors could stop at the “Vocation Café” to chat with consecrated men and women, as well as take part in a range of artistic activities, including music, drawing and games, and view displays of handicrafts. All these activities were offered as an opportunity to give an account of the hope and faith that animate the Catholic community in Korea.At “Reconciliation Park” , spaces were set aside for prayer and for receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Visitors could also take time for personal reflection on their lives and relationships with others, and on the urgent need to safeguard peace in personal, community and international relations.“Many people pass through here. You can feel a very Korean atmosphere, while at the same time there are many traces of Korea’s modern history, including from a religious and cultural perspective,” Sister Ambrosia Seo, of the Sisters of the Annunciation of the Divine Word, told Fides. “What I particularly liked was seeing that many people, simply passing by, became curious about the fair and stopped to find out more and take part in the various activities offered”She added that “Korea is not a predominantly Catholic country, and today, looking at the people here, I felt that even those who know little about Catholicism can encounter the cultural expressions that grow out of the Catholic faith in a very simple way, through everyday life, even if they approach simply out of curiosity. I was struck by seeing that, already during the preparations for WYD, such spontaneous and simple encounters can take place.”“Summer in Korea is very hot and humid, so I think one of the purposes of this initiative was also to serve as a kind of trial run ahead of next year’s WYD and to prepare us in advance for the conditions we will face,” noted Augustino Park Beom-su, a volunteer at the event.“Today, many foreigners also came, as well as people who do not belong to the Catholic Church. I therefore think another important purpose of the event was to offer those visiting Korea an opportunity to learn not only about Korean culture and history, but also something about the culture and history of Catholicism in Korea.”“This experience,” Augustino concluded in his conversation with Fides, “also made me feel the need to pray even more, asking that WYD may take place smoothly and without difficulties.”The latest statistics compiled by the South Korean government in 2015 described a population composed mainly of Buddhists , Protestant Christians and Catholics . According to the “Public Opinion Research Division of Korea Research,” a non-governmental research organization, the results of 22 surveys conducted between January and November 2025 show that 20% of the Korean population identifies as Protestant, 17% as Buddhist and 11% as Catholic, while 1% belongs to other religions. Some 51% of the population reported no religious affiliation.In this context, South Korea is preparing to welcome the largest gathering of young Catholics.On June 24, the Seoul Metropolitan Council and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education approved ordinances providing support for Seoul WYD 2027. It was stressed that the public funds involved are intended for security, transportation, healthcare services, accommodation and the infrastructure required for an international gathering of this scale, rather than constituting preferential treatment for Catholicism, as alleged by the organizers.
