Biography
Maria Pak Kun-a-gi
About Maria Pak Kun-a-gi
Maria Pak Kun-a-gi was born in Seoul in 1786 and was the older sister of Lucia Pak Hui-sun. In middle age she lived in her nephew’s household. The encyclopedia attributes her conversion to Lucia’s encouragement.
The bishops’ conference biography says that the circumstances of Maria’s conversion are not known. The sisters lived together after Lucia left the royal palace.
Andrew Kim Dae-geon’s report of 1845 remembers Maria raising funds to help poor people. It also states that the details of her responses to questioning and the punishments inflicted on her were not known.
During the persecution of 1839, Maria and Lucia sought refuge with their family at the house of Agatha Chon Kyong-hyob, another former palace attendant. They were arrested there in April. Maria endured punishment and received a death sentence. Lucia was executed in May. Maria remained imprisoned. She was executed outside Seoul’s Small West Gate on September 3, 1839.
An annotation to the earlier report notes that another historical account gave Maria’s death as May 24. The September date follows the modern official chronology.
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