Merry Christmas...
(Baonghean)The Christmas atmosphere is vibrant throughout the countryside. Lively Christmas carols fill the air. Christmas Day is no longer just a religious holiday but has become a national holiday. In Vinh City, people flock to the central streets to enjoy a peaceful Christmas night. In parishes and chapels, every home and every person is enjoying a peaceful Christmas season...
In Vinh City, from 3 PM on December 24th, the Christmas atmosphere permeated the neighborhoods, parishes, and religious communities. Along Tran Phu Street to Phan Dinh Phung Street – where Cau Ram Church is brightly lit with colorful lights strung on both sides – dozens of nativity scenes, snow-covered Christmas trees, Santa Claus figures, statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, and other decorations in various colors were brightly displayed by residents in front of their houses, on sidewalks, and at street intersections, making the Christmas night even more enchanting. Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh, a parishioner of Cau Ram parish, said: “People's lives are becoming more prosperous, so they celebrate Christmas more solemnly than in previous years. With Christmas approaching, everyone is inclined towards goodness and wishes for peace in the country and happiness for the people.”
The Cau Ram Parish Church, the center of Christmas Eve celebrations in Vinh City, hosted numerous activities including Christmas carols, cultural performances, and the main Mass commemorating the birth of the Baby Jesus. To welcome Christmas, the church has been beautifully decorated for over a week now, featuring six large nativity scenes surrounding the church – each over 10 meters high and nearly 20 meters wide, equipped with automatic water fountains. The centerpiece is a nearly 50-meter-tall Christmas tree adorned with thousands of twinkling lights and elaborate decorations. Inside the church grounds, a fully powered Santa Claus model has also been completed. To the left of the gate, a shopping center run by the nuns of Cau Ram parish, selling items like sleighs of hand, stars, and Christmas trees, has attracted many young people for shopping and sightseeing.
At the Bishop's Residence in Xã Đoài, considered the center of the Catholic community, the lively and bustling atmosphere of Christmas Eve was amplified. At the cathedral, Father Võ Thanh Tâm happily shared: “Every year, the church organizes a Christmas carol service. Therefore, besides preparing the church to be magnificent, this is also an opportunity for the priest to fulfill his duty of cleansing the souls of each parishioner to celebrate the birth of Christ. Those who have conflicts or disagreements come to the church on this occasion to reconcile, forgive, and overlook each other's mistakes. Especially this year, the Charity Association, led by Mr. Nguyễn Quang Lịch, a lay Catholic, will organize many social charity activities, attracting a large number of people of all faiths to participate. After the Mass, each person prepares a gift to give to the poor and to each other. The gifts can be material, or simply a message wishing each other peace, happiness, and good fortune in life…”
The Nghi Loc Catholic community joyfully celebrates Christmas.
The 2012 Christmas celebrations, filled with warmth and love, took place in 85 parishes and 339 congregations across the province. Most parishes organized Christmas carol nights on December 23rd and 24th. Many churches held outdoor Christmas services, combined with cultural performances, attracting large numbers of parishioners. This year's Christmas season felt even more complete in the joy and excitement following the recent Congress honoring Catholics for their patriotic emulation. Parishes, congregations, and parishioners actively participating in the patriotic emulation movement were recognized and commended. Responding to the New Rural Development movement, people in various parishes mobilized hundreds of thousands of man-days of labor, billions of dong, donated land and materials, etc., to build infrastructure and welfare projects. The "All People United in Building a Culturally Rich Life in Residential Areas" movement achieved remarkable results. Upholding the spirit of solidarity and mutual support, Catholic parishioners in the province have contributed to building houses of compassion and solidarity, and donated in-kind contributions totaling over 15 billion VND. In particular, the movement to protect national security and prevent social evils has been seriously implemented by the Catholic community; many parishes have become safe residential areas, and the model of security and order management teams in parishes has been widely replicated.
On this occasion, provincial leaders and relevant departments and agencies organized delegations to visit and present gifts to congratulate the Xa Doai Bishopric, parish councils, parish priests, and prominent religious leaders in the province on Christmas. Local authorities also held meetings with priests and religious leaders, commending the positive contributions of religious leaders and Catholic followers; and expressing hope that these units would continue to uphold the tradition of national unity, strengthen ties, and encourage parishioners to participate in patriotic emulation movements and strictly abide by the Party's guidelines and policies and the laws of the State.
On Christmas Eve, people eagerly flocked to churches to celebrate the birth of Christ. This year's Christmas was peaceful, carrying a message of peace along with wishes and hopes for a new year filled with good fortune and God's blessings for the entire community.
Phuc - Chung - Long
