정하상 丁夏祥
Lay leader of the Joseon Catholic Church and author of the Sangjae Sangseo; baptismal name Paul; canonised in 1984
| Life | 1795 ~ 1839 |
| Era | 조선 후기 |
| Clan | 나주 정씨 |
Life & career
Saint Paul Jeong Ha-sang (丁夏祥, 1795-1839) was a Joseon Catholic martyr, lay theologian and church leader. He was the son of Jeong Yak-jong, martyred in the 1801 Sinyu persecution, and a nephew of Jeong Yak-yong. After his elder brother Jeong Cheol-sang was martyred with their father in 1801 and the family's property was confiscated, he lived with his mother Yu Jo-i (Cecilia) and sister Jeong Jeong-hye in hardship at Majae, his uncle Yak-yong's hometown. Wikipedia reports that relatives did not welcome the family for keeping the faith.
His mother taught the children prayers orally to keep them in the faith. Lacking systematic doctrinal training, Jeong Ha-sang sought out Jo Dong-seom, exiled at Musan in Hamgyeong, to learn Catholicism and scholarship. With Father Zhou Wenmo martyred in the Sinyu persecution and no priest remaining, he effectively became leader of the Joseon church, and though of yangban status, he humbly disguised himself as an interpreter's servant to travel to Beijing and request a priest.
He went to Beijing in 1824 with the interpreter Yu Jin-gil and in 1825 petitioned the Holy See to create an independent Korean vicariate. The Joseon vicariate was established in 1831 under the Paris Foreign Missions Society. When Father Maubant entered Korea in 1836, Jeong Ha-sang was respected as the 'central guide' and Maubant lodged at his house. He helped Maubant choose Kim Dae-geon, Choe Yang-eop and Choe Bang-je as seminarians, and Bishop Imbert taught him theology.
The Gihae persecution broke out in 1839 and he was beheaded on 22 September. His mother Yu Jo-i and sister Jeong Jeong-hye were martyred the same year, so Jeong Yak-jong's entire family died for their faith. His apologetic work, the Sangjae Sangseo, written just before his arrest, argues that the persecution of Catholicism in Joseon was unjust and was published in Hong Kong in 1890. Pope John Paul II canonised him during his 1984 visit for the 200th anniversary of the Korean church.
After His Father and Brother Were Martyred
His father Jeong Yak-jong and brother Jeong Cheol-sang were martyred in the 1801 persecution and the family's property was confiscated. He lived with his mother and sister at Majae.
Beijing Missions and the Vicariate
He went to Beijing with Yu Jin-gil in 1824 and petitioned the Holy See for an independent vicariate in 1825. Wikipedia explains that this effort led to the creation of the Joseon vicariate in 1831.
Father Maubant and the Seminarians
Father Maubant, who entered in 1836, stayed at Jeong Ha-sang's house, and he helped choose Kim Dae-geon, Choe Yang-eop and Choe Bang-je as seminarians, who would later study in Macau as the first Korean candidates for the priesthood.
Sangjae Sangseo
Written just before his arrest, this apologia seeks to show that Catholicism is not a heresy and that the persecution is unjust, explaining doctrine against Confucian society's criticism.
Grave
The execution site and grave location were not confirmed here; he is commemorated at places such as the Seosomun martyrs' shrine.
Descendants
His father Jeong Yak-jong, elder brother Jeong Cheol-sang, mother Yu Jo-i (Cecilia) and sister Jeong Jeong-hye (Elizabeth) were all martyred.