True Father Sets Foot in America for the First Time

True Father established the first Holy Ground in the United States on Twin Peaks overlooking San Francisco

From its earliest days, the American Unification movement anticipated the imminent arrival of True Father. Miss Young Oon Kim, the first church missionary to the United States, expected True Father’s arrival with Mr. David Kim in September 1959 and out of her meager funds rented an apartment and purchased bedding and other items. The original Bay Area group anticipated his arrival in the spring of 1961 and purchased a camper. The same expectation was a focus of the American church in 1964. Members throughout the country began a “High Noon Prayer Vigil” in anticipation, and by November word came that “Time is growing short.”

True Father departed from Korea for his first world tour in January 1965. After spending two weeks in Japan, he left for America. Miss Kim, who accompanied them to Japan, departed ahead of them to prepare Americans for his visit. At 5:30 a.m., on the still, cool morning of Friday, February 12, True Father first set foot upon the continent of North America. Twenty-seven “highly honored, greatly privileged and totally breathless” members greeted him at San Francisco Airport. The highlight and major purpose of True Father’s tour was the selection and sanctification of sacred grounds.

Unificationists greet True Father upon his arrival at San Francisco Airport, 1965

Three days later, True Father established the first Holy Ground in the United States on Twin Peaks overlooking San Francisco. In the next 44 days, True Father traveled by car to all 48 states, setting up a total of 55 Holy Grounds. A key part of each ceremony was the burying of a “holy rock” from Korea. A pebble was gathered from the grounds of the City Hall at each stop in America and put into a sack for later transport to Korea. True Father’s first visit to the United States lasted nearly five months, until July 1, 1965, when he departed for Europe.