20 Years Since Inauguration of Sacred Site

Twenty years since a landmark Family Federation ceremony: the inauguration of its sacred site the Cheon Jeong Temple in Gapyeong, South Korea

From the entrance ceremony of the Cheon Jeong Temple — *From the grand inauguration ceremony of the Cheon Jeong Temple (천정궁) on 13th June 2006. Screenshot from video by FFWPU.*

It is today, 13^th June 2026, exactly 20 years since the grand inauguration ceremony of the Cheon Jeong Temple (천정궁 – Cheon Jeong Goong), one of the sacred sites of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – in Korea often simply called Unificationism. The 2006 event has since been called a foundational milestone for the movement and was a massive, highly orchestrated, spectacular ceremony concluding a week of festivities.

The structure, located in Gapyeong, northeast of the capital Seoul, was designed as a monumental palace-museum commemorating the life and accomplishments of Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han, also called Father Moon and Mother Han. Its architecture intentionally combined traditional Korean, classical Western, and symbolic religious elements. The movement described the building as an eternal memorial to the providential work of the True Parents and the central temple for God‘s sovereignty and for the Kingdom of Heaven – Cheonil-guk (천일국) in Unificationist terminology.

About 5,000 dignitaries, “Ambassadors for Peace”, political leaders, parliamentarians, and church leaders attended the main ceremony. Another 25,000 participants watched through large-screen broadcasts at nearby venues.

The temple was presented not merely as a museum or headquarters but as the first permanent dwelling place for God here in the physical world, based on the foundation established by the True Parents. The building was understood as a symbolic and providential center uniting heaven and earth, East and West, and the spiritual and physical worlds.

True Parents in robes — *The True Parents in stately robes at the entrance ceremony of the Cheon Jeong Temple (천정궁) on 13th June 2006. Screenshot from video by FFWPU.*

Later that day, a special entrance ceremony was held led by Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han, where they processed into the temple in ornate and stately robes. Representatives from all continents and diverse religious backgrounds presented custom-designed crowns and robes to the couple, formally installing them as the King and Queen of Peace for the new era. A banquet was attended by international religious, political, and civic leaders. Cultural performances from various nations celebrated the opening.

In his major address, “Cheonil-guk Is the Ideal Heavenly Kingdom of Eternal Peace”, Sun Myung Moon presented the opening of the Cheon Jeong Temple as the beginning of a new age in providential history. He argued that God’s original ideal had been frustrated by the Fall of humanity, resulting in a long history of restoration. According to Father Moon, the mission of the True Parents was to complete that restoration and establish a world centered on God‘s true lineage, true love, and true family.

The inauguration of the Cheon Jeong Temple signified, in his view, that sufficient foundations had finally been laid for God‘s direct sovereignty to be manifested on earth. He called on humanity to become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven by living lives of moral purity, family fidelity, service, and interreligious harmony.

Father Moon outlined three strict, unalterable laws governing the citizens of this new heavenly kingdom:

Maintain lineage purity by completely avoiding illicit sexual relationships.
Uphold universal human rights, forbidding arbitrary discrimination or personal abuse of authority.
Protect public assets, banning any theft, embezzlement, or personal exploitation of public funds.

From opening ceremony of sacred site Cheon Jeong Temple — *From the grand inauguration ceremony of the Cheon Jeong Temple (천정궁) on 13th June 2006. Photo: FFWPU.*

Sun Myung Moon emphasized that peace could not be achieved merely through politics or economics but through the transformation of families and the reconciliation of religions, races, and nations under God. He portrayed the new era as one in which the barriers between the spiritual and physical worlds would diminish, humanity would recognize a common Heavenly Parent, and the ideal of one global family under God could gradually become a reality.

According to Father Moon, the completion of this sanctuary symbolically reversed the historical failures of the Garden of Eden, transitioning humanity into the “Age after the Coming of Heaven”, which had been declared in May 2005. The opening ceremony also represented liberating God’s heart from all the sorrow the Creator had suffered throughout the long course of humanity’s history.

Father Moon also emphasized the spiritual dimension of the ceremony on 13^th June 2006, claiming that great multitudes of spirits also descended to witness the event.

Father Moon giving holy scripture to clan leader — *Father Moon giving the holy scripture Cheon Seong Gyeong to a Korean clan leader on 13th June 2006. Photo: FFWPU*

Following the keynote speech, the True Parents bestowed newly minted holy scriptures and sacred items to representatives from Korea and each continent.

See also The Kingdom Within

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: One of the sacred sites of the Family Federation – the Cheon Jeong Temple in Gapyeong, South Korea. The building houses a museum in honor of the life of the True Parents. Photo: FFWPU

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