religious affairs

Update news religious affairs

Vietnam strengthens religious cooperation with Vatican, Italy

Vietnam’s Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs strengthened dialogue with the Vatican and Italy during a Sept. 20-25 visit, with talks focusing on religious affairs, cooperation and ties between Vietnam and the Holy See.

Warriors, kings and Zen: The spiritual world of Vietnam’s Tran dynasty

More than seven centuries later, Vietnam’s Tran dynasty still resonates in the country’s spiritual life, from the worship of national hero Tran Quoc Tuan to the distinctly Vietnamese Truc Lam Zen tradition. 

Ho Chi Minh City turns to tech to preserve ethnic, religious heritage

Ho Chi Minh City is using data, digital skills and new “digital destinations” to modernize governance while preserving the cultural heritage of its diverse ethnic and religious communities.

Inside Ka Don, Vietnam’s church with two international architecture awards

Beyond its two international architecture awards, Ka Don church in Vietnam has another role: safeguarding Chu Ru culture through its museum, worship services and support for traditional pottery.

Ancient Buddhist texts in Vietnam face a race against time

Vietnam’s Buddhist manuscripts, written over centuries in classical Chinese and Nom script, are scattered and deteriorating. Scholars and monks are calling for an urgent effort to preserve them.

Inside Nom Pagoda, where sacred legends meet everyday Vietnam

Across a small bridge in northern Vietnam, Nom Pagoda emerges beneath old trees, a place where ancient clay statues, Buddhist legends and the rhythms of an old village market blur the line between the sacred and everyday life.

Vietnam updates religious rules for a changing digital landscape

Vietnam’s revised 2026 Law on Belief and Religion lays the groundwork for protecting freedom of belief and religion while addressing new challenges in state management.

Vietnam races to link ethnic, religious databases by Sept. 20

Officials have been told to resolve technical and data bottlenecks quickly as Vietnam works to integrate its ethnic affairs and religious databases with the National Data Center by Sept. 20.

Families carry ancestral tablets in Ho Chi Minh City ritual for the dead

Holding ancestral tablets close to their chests, families crossed a symbolic bridge at a Taoist temple in Ho Chi Minh City, praying for the spirits of departed loved ones to find peace and move on to another life.

A day inside Ho Chi Minh City’s Cham Muslim community

From Friday prayers to evening Quran lessons, a mosque in central Ho Chi Minh City offers a window into the faith, culture and community life of Cham Muslims.

Chinese community preserves rare Taoist ritual in HCM City

A Taoist master raises his ritual staff and, one by one, breaks five miniature structures representing the five directions of hell - a centuries-old act of spiritual liberation preserved by Ho Chi Minh City’s Chinese community.

Nearly 140-year-old Da Nang church preserves bell cast from cannons

Built in 1887, Phu Thuong Church in Da Nang has retained much of its original architecture for nearly 140 years. Among its most remarkable treasures is a bronze bell cast from metal salvaged from cannons.

Vietnam drafts new rules for religious activities in cyberspace

Vietnam is proposing detailed regulations for religious activities in cyberspace, including livestreamed ceremonies and measures to address false or misleading online content.

Vietnam advances legal framework for religious affairs

Vietnam is expanding efforts to modernize religious governance while reinforcing dialogue and cooperation with religious organizations.

Vietnam reviews detailed rules on belief and religious activities

Vietnam's Ministry of Ethnic and Religious Affairs is collecting feedback on a draft decree designed to improve the implementation of the revised Law on Belief and Religion while simplifying administrative procedures.

A pagoda in Truong Sa bearing the name of a naval hero

Amid the vast waters of Truong Sa, Phan Vinh Pagoda carries the name of a fallen naval captain, bringing together Buddhism, remembrance and maritime life.

Pagodas in Truong Sa stand as spiritual markers of sovereignty

Across Truong Sa (Spratlys) Archipelago, traditional Vietnamese pagodas rise above the sea as places of serenity and "spiritual markers" contributing to the affirmation of national sovereignty.

Efforts to safeguard religious values in digital age

Digital transformation is changing not only how people work and communicate but also how they practice their faith.

Vietnam seeks practical roadmap for revised Law on Belief and Religion

Vietnam's revised Law on Belief and Religion will only achieve its intended impact if supported by clear and practical implementation guidelines, officials and legal experts said during a consultation workshop in Hanoi on July 9.

Vietnam refines religion law through selective global lessons

As religious life becomes more diverse, Vietnam's revised Law on Belief and Religion seeks to strengthen legal certainty while protecting freedom of belief and religion.