SEOUL, South Korea — A vast new interfaith worship center opened with solemn ceremony and theatrical razzmatazz in the rolling countryside outside Seoul on Sunday.
Sunday’s events capped a three-day summit hosted by the religious organization that opened the center, the Universal Peace Federation. The UPFs 2025 Summit drew both political leaders — 40 legislative speakers from around the world — and spiritual figures — preachers from faiths including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism.
Cheon Won Gung, the peace federation’s multi-faith worship center, is set into the slope of Mt. Cheongsong and surrounded by parkland. The 223-foot high, 354-foot wide structure is designed in neo-classic style, fronted by four pillars and topped by five domes. Inside, its vast chambers feature white marble, golden highlights, spiral balustrades and chandeliers.
The cathedral-like building was dedicated in 2023, and its inner sanctum was formally unveiled Sunday.
The ceremony began with the center’s soaring ceilings resounding to a traditional drumming troupe, a soprano, uniformed heralds blowing trumpets, and bells.
The central figure in the proceedings was Hak Ja Han Moon, 82, the spiritual head of the UPF. Mrs. Moon is the widow of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the Unification Church. Escorted by robed worshippers, Ms. Moon appeared in the center’s central sanctum attired in traditional silks and a tiara. There, she blessed two of her grandsons in the expectation that they will take roles in the UPF.
The Unification Church grew from a tiny, embattled church in South Korea to a global spiritual movement and an affiliated commercial empire comprising real estate, manufacturing and agricultural operations, as well as media including The Washington Times.
The new worship center is the latest UPF development in the county of Gapyeong, noted for its landscapes of lakes and hills.
The region has been the de facto heart of the organization since the Moons started making visits to the area in the 1960s and began building religious and lay facilities, including visitor accommodations and the “Heaven G Hamburger” restaurant for foreign worshippers, as well as a 20,000-seat stadium.
That arena was filled to capacity Sunday afternoon as the audience watched a musical featuring the spiritual journey of the Moons through Korea’s tumultuous history.
Boasting Broadway-class production values, a choir in the stands and anime backdrops, it ended with the audience on their feet and another appearance by Mrs. Moon.
“Coming from a little country at the bottom of the world, it is pretty mind-blowing,” said Kamaka Manuel, from New Zealand. “I feel pretty privileged to be here.”
In addition to uniting political leaders, the UPF aims to unify religions — hence, the many visitors from across the religious spectrum.
Though not a UPF worshipper — Mr. Manuel follows the Maori-based Ratana Church — he saw connections with his own practices.
“The commonalities are values and principles, like coming together under one family, one God,” he said. He lauded the UPF for “recognizing a diversity of faiths” and for blending spiritual with temporal.
“The whole world is in trouble and Mother Moon’s mission is to bring peace, and peace starts at home, in the family,” said Surinder Gill, an American Sikh and inter-faith leader. “For all humanity, blood is red, and God is inside all humans. The message is: ‘Be a citizen of the world, not a country.”
Politicians warned that good intentions are not enough.
“The value of bringing people from different cultures, backgrounds and religions, and juxtaposing them, is that it makes people listen,” said Keith Best, a former British parliamentarian who heads the UPF’s U.K. chapter. “Not everyone believes in democratic principles or God, so we need to get out of our comfort zone into the real world, which is a much tougher task, where getting it wrong has severe consequences.”
But he added, “This is a good starting point.”
Cheong Won Gung is expected to host conferences — and more.
“It’s a universal temple of peace, of prayer,” said Rev. Demian Dunkley, regional president of the Family Federation USA. “It’s universally embracing … people from all faiths and nations can gather around common beliefs.”
Mr. Dunkley has high hopes the center will add to Gapyeong’s potential as a site of pilgrimage tourism, similar to the Vatican in Rome and Lourdes in France.
The uniqueness of Cheong Won Gung is its openness to all faiths. Ms. Moon “is creating a venue for everyone,” Mr. Dunkley said.
