Stephen Kim Sou-hwan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Stephen Kim Sou-hwan |
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| Cardinal, Archbishop emeritus of Seoul | |
Archbishop of Seoul(1968)
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| See | Archdiocese of Seoul |
| Predecessor | Paul Roh Ki-nam |
| Successor | Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 15 September 1951 |
| Consecration | 31 May 1966 by Antonio del Giudice |
| Created Cardinal | April 28, 1969 |
| Rank | Cardinal-priest |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 8, 1922 Daegu, Japanese Korea |
| Died | February 16, 2009 (aged 86) Seoul, South Korea |
| Nationality | Korean |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Stephen Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan |
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| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Seoul (Emeritus) |
Stephen Kim Sou-hwan (Hangul: 김수환; Hanja: 金壽煥; May 8, 1922 – February 16, 2009) was an important leader in the Roman Catholic Church. He was a Cardinal and the former archbishop of Seoul, South Korea. He was well-known for helping South Korea change from military rule to a more democratic government. Many people in South Korea respected him greatly.
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Early Life and Education
Stephen Kim Sou-hwan was born in Daegu, which is now part of South Korea. He went to high school in Seoul. He studied philosophy at Sophia University in Tokyo from 1941 to 1944. Later, he continued his studies at Catholic University of Korea in Seoul, graduating in 1951.
After working as a priest in Andong and as a secretary in the Archdiocese of Daegu, he went to Germany. There, he studied sociology at Münster University from 1956 to 1963.
His Church Career
In 1966, Kim became the bishop of Masan. Then, in 1968, he became the archbishop of Seoul. On April 28, 1969, Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal. He was only 46 years old, making him the youngest cardinal at that time.
In 1970, he received the Mugunghwa medal, a high honor in South Korea. He also took part in two elections for a new Pope in 1978.
Supporting Democracy
During the 1970s and 1980s, South Korea was ruled by military leaders like Park Chung Hee. Cardinal Kim led the Korean Catholic Church to support the movement for democracy. The Church became a key place for people who wanted more freedom and a democratic government.
Retirement and Later Years
Cardinal Kim retired as the archbishop of Seoul in 1998. He had also served as a special leader for a meeting of bishops about Asia.
He turned 80 years old in 2002. This meant he could no longer vote in elections for a new Pope. Even so, he attended the special ceremony when Pope Benedict XVI became Pope.
His Passing
From 2007, Cardinal Kim's health slowly got worse. He was not seen in public very often. His last public appearance was at Christmas Midnight Mass in 2008.
He passed away in Seoul on February 16, 2009, due to breathing problems. About 400,000 people came to say goodbye to him at Myeongdong Cathedral. He was buried on February 20.
Cardinal Kim had decided to donate his organs. His eyes were used for two successful cornea transplants, helping others to see.
Books He Wrote
- 이 땅에 평화를 - 김수환 추기경과의 대화, 1988
- 참으로 사람답게 살기위하여 - 김수환 추기경의 세상 사는 이야기 (사람과 사람, 1998)
- 우리가 서로 사랑한다는 것, 1999
- 너희와 모든 이를 위하여, 1999
See also
In Spanish: Stephen Kim Sou-hwan para niños
- Beyond That Mountain, a 2020 movie about Stephen Kim Sou-hwan's childhood.
