Photo : YONHAP News
A mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary dressed in the traditional Korean attire of “hanbok” was unveiled at the Vatican Gardens on Friday, marking the first time that a Korean artwork has been installed at the site.
A blessing ceremony, attended by some 100 representatives from the Korean Catholic church, was held at the Gardens on Friday for the “Korean Virgin Mary of Peace” mosaic, which was installed on the “Bastione Maestro,” a wall that serves as the border of Vatican City.
The mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus dressed in hanbok was created by artists Shim Soon-hwa and Yun Hae-young, and it symbolizes hopes for peace and an end to war.
The Korean artwork joins a collection of Virgin Mary mosaics from eleven other countries, including Colombia and the Dominican Republic.
At the ceremony, Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, who proposed the mosaic’s installation to Pope Francis in May 2023, highlighted the significance of the art piece amid the division of the Korean Peninsula and conflicts around the world.