More Celebration at Hanoi's St. Joseph's Cathedral

Here's something I learned: the Roman Catholic Church in Vietnam, which is loyal to the Pope, is the second largest organization in the country after the Communist Party. It explains why there is so much suspicion and harassment of Catholics in the country, based in not having full control over such a large group of people. Though tensions are easing significantly this year, as evidenced by a massive gathering of the faithful on Sunday evening.

Vietnam is one of only a handful of countries that the Vatican does not have official diplomatic relations, though there is a lot of work to change that, and a Papal visit is hoped for this year. The Communist Party very recently lifted a ban on Catholics attending large church gatherings, which makes the sight I saw last Sunday particularly unusual in the city.

Thousands of people crammed the streets around the cathedral, all participating in some sort of festival that centered on the Virgin Mary. There was a massive processional around the church, and the entire crowd sang hyms together. They use the facade of the cathedral as a giant backdrop, decorating its usually drab exterior with banners, insignia and flowers. It is all pretty remarkable when you learn about the history of the church in Vietnam.

For a communist country, where you might expect openly religous gestures of any faith to be discouraged or muted, it actually seems entirely the opposite. Pagodas, temples, cathedrals, alters in every shop... it's all part fo the amazing texture of this place. Here's a couple of shots from the evening: