Christmas celebrations held nationwide
Ha Noi, Dec. 24 (VNA) -- The birthday of Jesus Christ was celebrated with great joy on Dec. 24, across the country.
In Ha Noi, a delegation of the Presidium of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee (VFFCC) led by Le Truyen, member of the VFFCC's standing board, this morning visited the Ha Noi Archbishopric to convey greetings from Pham The Duyet, President of the VFFCC's Presidium, to Vietnamese Catholics.
In the morning, the delegation called at the Protestant General Council (in the north) to extend merry Christmas to Vietnamese Protestants on this joyful occasion.
Earlier, a delegation of the Commission for Mass Mobilization of the Party Central Committee also visited the Ha Noi Archbishopric and the Protestant General Council (in the north) to extend greetings to Vietnamese Catholics and Protestants.
On Christmas eve, more than 30,000 Catholics and Protestants from 62 parishes in the capital city flocked to churches, which were decorated with coloured lights and flowers, for Christmas celebrations.
Sharing joys with religious believers on this occasion were many non-religious people.
Phung Huu Phu, Deputy Secretary of the Ha Noi Party Committee, and Hoang Van Nghien, Mayor of Ha Noi, were among well-wishers who visited various churches to present flowers to Catholics and Protestants.
They also called on Cardinal Pham Dinh Tung, Archbishop of Ha Noi, and other Catholic dignitaries.
This year, Ha Noi Catholics and Protestants donated more than VND 103 milion as relief to flood victims in the Mekong Delta, VND 550 million to funds for the poor, and VND 170 million to a leprosy home.
In Ho Chi Minh City, more than half a million Catholics and Protestants from 200 Catholic parishes and more than 40 Protestant Councils gathered at churches to celebrate Christmas.
In Nam Dinh, 400,000 Catholics from 139 parishes welcomed Christmas at Bui Chu Bishopric, the Cathedral in Nam Dinh city and local churches. In the meantime, more than 50,000 Catholics from Phat Diem diocese and 28 parishes gathered at churches for the High Mass.
Christmas celebrations were also held in various provinces and cities throughout Viet Nam, including Hue, Hai Phong, Hung Yen, Thanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Can Tho, Kien Giang, and An Giang.--VNA
