Visit by Pope John Paul II
Visit by Pope John Paul II(May 4, 1984)
During his 1984 visit to South Korea to commemorate 200th anniversary of catholic church in Korea in Korea, Pope John Paul II paid a visit to Sorokdo on May 4.
He blessed people, who gathered at the square, and consoled Hansen’s disease patients while delivering a sermon on “True Spirit of Reconciliation.”
As a token of appreciation, Sorokdo presented the Pope with ‘spiritual bouquet,’ a holy cloisonne ware, and a landscape drawn by a patient.
To commemorate a visit by Pope John Paul II, the hospital erected a monument in front of the Woochon Welfare Center, in where the welcome reception took place. Donations of the day went to the Geumsong welfare fund.
On the occasion of the Pope’s visit, the hospital started to reduce discrimination by closing down the separate dock and vessel used by patients for going in and out of the island and letting them use the same dock and vessel with other people including the hospital staff.
Freedom and equality was the most important legacy of the visit by Pope John Paul II.
Address Pope John Paul II read in Korean to the patients in Sorok National Hospital
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Dear my friends,
In preparing for the long journey to Korea,
I have looked forward with particular expectation to visiting you on this island of Sorokdo.
And ever since I received a beautiful letter from you,
I have wanted to come to you all the more.
to be with you, to console you,
and to assure you of my love.