SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Korea Bizwire) – Young trainees to become Catholic priests are taking taekwondo lessons at the Vatican.
Saint Pius X Institute, located inside the Vatican City, signed a contract with the Italian Taekwondo Federation (FITA) to teach taekwondo to students aiming for priesthood. The lessons began last October.
It is the first time that taekwondo is being taught at a school in the Vatican.
FITA has sent Leonardo Basile, a former European taekwondo champion, to teach the students, who are between 13 and 17 years of age, three times every week.
On February 8, the first promotion test took place at the institute, where Monsignor Melchor Sanchez de Toca, the Vatican’s state secretary in the Pontifical Council for Culture, was present.
Students demonstrated five months of taekwondo skills to earn yellow and green belts.
Image Credit: World Taekwondo Federation / photonews@koreabizwire.com
