The Anglican Church of Korea’s Seoul Cathedral announced Wednesday that it will hold a Thanksgiving Eucharist and commemorative ceremony on May 3 to mark the 100th anniversary of the cathedral’s consecration.
Seoul Cathedral first opened its doors in Jeong-dong, Seoul, on May 2, 1926. The Romanesque-style cathedral was designed by British architect Arthur Dixon. “The first consecration service was held in the darkness of Japanese colonial rule, prayers continued amid the gunfire of the Korean War, and the cathedral has witnessed God’s presence through the turbulent periods of industrialization and democratization,” the Anglican Church of Korea said of the cathedral’s history.
The Thanksgiving Eucharist on May 3 will begin with 100 bell tolls honoring the past century. The ceremony will proceed with a ritual opening of the cathedral doors as on the first day of consecration, followed by a procession in which believers of all generations enter the cathedral step by step. The service will be concelebrated by successive bishops of the Seoul Diocese. At the commemorative ceremony held the same day, a newly crafted commemorative cross—based on the crosses distributed to believers at the cathedral’s consecration 100 years ago—will be presented to congregants as a symbol of the centennial.
“The 100th anniversary Thanksgiving Eucharist is not simply an occasion to celebrate a long history,” said Father Park Sung-soon, the cathedral’s chief priest. “It is a moment to stand in gratitude before the history of grace that God has accomplished through this cathedral, while also responding to the call of a new century.”
The Thanksgiving Eucharist and commemorative ceremony are open to all, regardless of religious affiliation.