Biography
Agatha Yi So-sa
About Agatha Yi So-sa
Agatha Yi So-sa married into a non-Catholic household and was widowed without children. She returned to her family home and supported her mother and younger brother through sewing. She continued studying Catholic teaching and instructed her brother, Peter Yi Ho-yong.
Born in Icheon, she moved to Seoul after her father died. She and Peter were arrested at Musoemak beside the Han River in February 1835.
The bishops’ conference account describes the siblings refusing to abandon Catholicism or identify other believers under punishment. Agatha remained imprisoned for years while her execution was delayed. Peter died in prison before her. She was beheaded outside Seoul’s Small West Gate with eight other Catholics on May 24, 1839.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.