The Church in Vietnam is preparing to host more than 70,000 people expected to join the beatification ceremony of Fr Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep, who was martyred for faith in 1946. Source: UCA News.
The beatification ceremony is scheduled to be held at Tac Say Pilgrimage Centre under Can Tho Diocese in southern Vietnam on July 2.
Diocesan vicar general Fr Peter Vu Van Hai termed the upcoming event as a “blessed milestone” for the local church.
“The grand ceremony is not exclusive to local Catholics, but is open to everyone wishing to commune, pray, and participate in a spirit of solemnity, order, and devotion,” he said.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelisation, will officiate the ceremony as a special envoy of Pope Leo XIV.
The diocese has constructed a five-hectare main ceremonial ground opposite Tac Say Church, with a capacity of 47,000 people, to accommodate large crowds, said Fr Hai, head of the organising committee.
The surrounding church grounds, which enshrine Fr Diep’s tomb, have been equipped with large LED screens, sound systems, and tents to host an additional 25,000 faithful.
All major infrastructure, including healthcare stations, traffic control channels, and sanitation facilities, is expected to be completed this week.
A brass band consisting of 535 musicians from the northern Bui Chu Diocese will perform at the event.
Local Catholics have donated over 40,000 complimentary breakfasts to ensure pilgrims do not have to travel far before the morning liturgy begins, Fr Hai said.
Born in 1897, Fr Diep was ordained a priest in 1924. He served in rural areas in the Mekong Delta and was credited with establishing parishes in Vietnam and Cambodia.
He was known for his care for the poor and protection of Catholics during the First Indochina War (1946-54), fought between the French forces and Vietnamese communists.
Amid violence in the region, Fr Diep refused to leave the parish Church despite repeated appeals from local Catholics.
Fr Diep was tortured and killed by Japanese soldiers who defected to the Vietnamese communist forces after the end of World War II. After his killing on March 12, 1946, his mutilated body was dumped in a pond.
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Over 70,000 to join martyred Vietnamese priest’s beatification (UCA News)
