Pope Francis beatifies 124 South Korean Catholic martyrs

BBC News | August 18, 2014

Pope Francis has celebrated a large open-air Mass to beatify 124 of South Korea's first Catholics at a ceremony in the capital Seoul.

He paid tribute to the Koreans, who died for their faith in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Saturday's Mass came on the third day of his visit - his first trip to Asia since becoming pope in March 2013.

Pope Francis met survivors of the Sewol ferry disaster and delivered his first public Mass in the region on Friday.

The beatification ceremony was held at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, with hundreds of thousands of people in attendance.

Beatification, or declaring a person "blessed", is the necessary prelude to full sainthood.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-28814553