The Beatification Mass for Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep will last about two hours on July 2, marking a historic milestone in the nearly 500-year history of the Catholic Church in Vietnam.
Father Joseph Vo Van Hoai, pastor of Tac Say Parish, said the beatification ceremony will begin at 8 a.m. on July 2 at the Tac Say Pilgrimage Center in Phong Thanh Commune, Ca Mau Province.
Before the ceremony begins, a procession of cardinals and bishops will make its way to the outdoor altar set up on the grounds opposite Tac Say Church.
According to Father Joseph Vo Van Hoai, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelization, has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the papal envoy to preside over the Mass and will proclaim the Apostolic Letter declaring Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep Blessed.
Following the beatification rite, the solemn Mass will continue for approximately two hours before concluding with remarks from the Bishop of the Diocese of Can Tho.
Father Joseph Vo Van Hoai added that the Tac Say Pilgrimage Center will celebrate four Masses on July 1. Evening events will include a sacred performance, Taizé prayer, the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
Father Peter Vu Van Hai, rector of Can Tho Cathedral and Vicar General of the Diocese of Can Tho, said the first beatification ceremony ever held in Vietnam represents a landmark moment in the nearly 500-year history of the Catholic Church in the country.
It is the first - and so far the only - time that the Holy See has authorized a beatification ceremony to be held at the Tac Say Pilgrimage Center.
The Ca Mau Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism estimates that around 70,000 pilgrims and visitors will attend the beatification ceremony for Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep.
From a shepherd of the poor to Blessed of the universal Church
Panoramic view of the Tac Say Pilgrimage Center. Photo: Tao Dat
Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep was born on Jan. 1, 1897, in Con Phuoc Parish, now part of An Giang Province. He spent 27 years studying at Cu Lao Gieng Minor Seminary and Phnom Penh Major Seminary before being ordained a priest in 1924.
In 1930, Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep was appointed pastor of Tac Say Parish in the Diocese of Can Tho. He became known for his simple way of life, his closeness to local people and his dedication to serving the poor.
In March 1946, amid wartime violence, he was killed while protecting his parishioners. Tac Say Church, where his remains were later reinterred, has since become a major pilgrimage destination for thousands of Catholics from Vietnam and abroad.
Father Anthony Cao Gia An, S.J., Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, explained that beatification is the Church's recognition of a person who lived a life of charity and unwavering fidelity to the faith, so that his or her life became a living testimony to God's presence.
For non-Catholics, he said, beatification can be understood as the Church's affirmation that the individual lived an exemplary life and devoted himself completely to serving others.
A long journey to establish a reputation for holiness
A pilgrim prays before the statue of Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep. Photo: Tao Dat
Speaking to reporters, Father Peter Vu Van Hai, rector of Can Tho Cathedral, Vicar General of the Diocese of Can Tho and head of the organizing committee, said the cause for Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep's beatification was a long and painstaking effort to demonstrate his "reputation for holiness" - the widespread recognition of his virtuous life and the enduring devotion of the faithful.
On Aug. 15, 2011, the Diocese of Can Tho formally opened the diocesan investigation into Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep's cause for beatification.
Around 10 people joined the sainthood cause team, including the postulator, a historical commission, documentation staff and two canon law experts from Canada. The search for historical records proved difficult because years of war had destroyed or scattered many documents and archives.
Over the following six years, the historical commission traveled extensively in Vietnam and abroad, visiting Con Phuoc in An Giang, where Father Diep was born, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, where he studied, and Ho Tru and Tac Say, where he carried out his pastoral ministry.
Researchers also examined the archives of the Paris Foreign Missions Society in France in an effort to recover surviving records. At the same time, witness testimony was collected under strict procedures.
The commission interviewed 23 witnesses, including Catholics and non-Catholics. Thirteen had firsthand knowledge of the events, while 10 testified based on accounts from primary witnesses. All were required to swear an oath before giving testimony. Every document and statement then underwent several rounds of verification.
The diocesan investigation concluded on Jan. 21, 2017. The case file, containing tens of thousands of pages, was submitted to the Vatican. Seven years later, the decree recognizing Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep's martyrdom was officially promulgated.
On Nov. 25, 2024, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep's martyrdom, clearing the way for his beatification.
Vietnamnet.vn
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