I have gotten used to hearing about the Philippines being the largest Christian nation, in terms of percentage of participation in Asia that I still find myself surprised when I see traces of Christianity in other Southeast Asian countries. Which is stupid, because being the “largest” should not mean we’re the only one. And yes, Christianity also prevailed in Vietnam, and combine that with French civilization due to France’s occupation of the country in the past, and you shouldn’t be too surprised to stumble upon the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral while walking Ho Chi Minh’s streets.
Officially known as the “Basilica of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception”, the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is an easy, albeit slightly meandering walk from the Independence Palace (check out that post here). In fact, while at the rooftop of the Palace, if you squint really hard, you’ll spot the turrets of the Cathedral amid the tall trees.
So we just followed the sidewalks of the streets instead of taking a ride and it did not take us long until we found ourselves at the back of the Cathedral. There were several people who were also making their way towards the Church, so we just followed them.
A Touch of French and a Whole Lotta Faith
The Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral is pretty ancient, having been built by the conquering French once they got a hold of the City. Construction lasted from 1863 to 1880.
Originally, it was simply known as Saigon Church, featuring French colonial architecture. The red bricks and all materials used in its construction were directly flown in all the way from France. And, yes, that color you are seeing right now, is still that of the original red bricks. Amazing how it is able to retain that pigmentation even to this day. So far, I have not read anything talking about the red bricks undergoing restoration or even a repainting.
The only time that it was renamed into the Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral was in 1959, when the statue of the Peaceful Notre Dame was installed in a ceremonial rite. Three years later, in 1962, that was the only time that it was declared by the Pope as a basilique and Chief Cathedral in Saigon.
Oh, by the way, the location of the Cathedral is right at the intersection of Pham Ngoc Thach Street, Le Duan Street and Cong Xa Paris Street. The “Paris Street” somehow reaffirmed how French this structure is supposed to be.
The Cathedral is 60.5 meters tall or 190 feet, with those two prominent bell towers giving it an imposing yet elegant look. Surprisingly, those bell towers were not installed until 1895, more than a decade after the construction of the church was finished.
There is a square or a small park right in front of the facade of the Cathedral, and there proudly standing, is a stature of the Virgin Mary.
It was purported that, in October 2005, some devotees saw the statue shed tears. The Catholic Church of Vietnam did not lend credence to the claim, but that did not deter the many faithful who come to the statue, to this day, for their prayers and petitions. I suppose many are still holding out on the possibility of witnessing a miracle.
There is a seat surrounding the foot of the statue where visitors can be comfortable.
Oh, and look who’s faithfully standing guard at the foot of the statue! This beauty was perched oh so comfortably for such a long time, while her other companions took their place in the higher perches of the Cathedral.
Looks like humans aren’t the only ones counting on miracles to happen.
The Notre Dame Cathedral is a functioning Church, serving as an active place of worship first, an attraction second. Masses are held regularly in this place, and the faithful still flock to it.
Supposedly the best time to visit is during the Sunday mass at 9:30.
It was a weekday when we went, and although the Cathedral was open for visitors and tourists, no one is allowed to enter past the threshold and take a seat or take a walk among the pews.
The interior was quite imposing yet humbling, in a positive way, at the same time. I loved how the high ceilings seemed to slope upward, supported by the pillars.
What you’re seeing is not 100% the original, however, because the Cathedral also suffered the ravages of the war. Fortunately, the extent of the damage was mostly in the tiles, which were replaced by ones made in Ho Chi Minh City.
So even though all the original materials have been imported from France, many of the tiles used to replace the damaged ones were locally made.
The Cathedral had 56 glass squares that have been supplied by the famed Lorin company in Chartres, France.
I read somewhere that the foundation of this Cathedral was designed to be able to bear ten times the weight of the entire cathedral. Talk about stability.
It felt refreshing to be able to visit an “old church” that is still largely intact, as opposed to visiting one that is basically a “ruin”, or a church that has undergone massive restoration.
The Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, as it is standing today, is largely the actual structure that was built back in 1880. Impressive.
I don’t know who to credit.
French architecture and workmanship?
The quality of French construction materials?
Maintenance and upkeep by the Vietnamese?
The staunch faith of the Vietnamese Christians?
I think it is a combination of all four.
Leave a Reply