This Week in History

Missionaries dispatched to America

January 2, 1959, Oregon, United States

     The Unification Church sent it first missionaries to the Western world on January 2, 1959. True Parents trained Kim Young-oon with the word, the Divine Principle and sent the professor, whose fiery passion for God’s will resulted in the termination of her professorship at Seoul’s Ehwa Womens University, to the State of Oregon in the U.S., as a pioneer missionary. During his first world tour, True Father complimented her in the San Francisco church, saying that she "gave everything day and night with strong determination to sow seeds of the Principle." 

(Materials provided by FFWPU History Compilation Committee)

First Publication of News World

December 31, 1976, New York, United States

     The first issue of News World was published in New York City on December 31, 1976. On this occasion, True Father said, "We must create a newspaper company that can spread the word about universal justice in God’s name." This newspaper, which surprised the entire nation by reporting before the end of the presidential election in 1979 that the Republican presidential candidate, Ronald Reagan, had won, changed its name to the New York City Tribune on April 4, 1983. 

(Materials provided by FFWPU History Compilation Committee)

Establishing 120 Holy Grounds

January, 1, 1966, 120 locations around the world

     On January 1, 1966, the selection and establishment of 120 holy grounds around the world was completed with the dedication ceremony at the former main church as a holy ground in Cheongpa-dong, Korea. During True Father’s first world tour in January 1965, the selection of 120 holy grounds began on January 31 in Tokyo, Japan. True Father visited Japan, North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East dedicating holy grounds. After he returned to Korea, he chose 8 holy grounds during a local tour around Korea. Among those were Mt. Gujin, Mt. Inwang, Heukseok-dong, and Tae-reung. On New Years Day, 1966, he completed the establishment of 120 holy grounds upon dedicating Namsan, Mt.Dobong and the Cheongp-dong church. 

(Materials provided by FFWPU History Compilation Committee)