General overview of the history of

Christianity
The Birth of Christianity
Christianity appeared in the 1st century AD in the eastern provinces of the Roman
Empire with slavery. The Roman Empire waged many cruel wars of aggression, creating
many contradictions and fierce conflicts in social life. That context gave rise to the ideas of
liberation and freedom. In addition, the Middle East is a place contiguous to three
continents, the population here is polytheistic, during the unification of the empire, there has
been a demand for ideological unity, including the need for unity. monotheistic religion, so
Christianity was born based on Judaism that existed in this region
The birth of Christianity is associated with the name of Jesus Christ. He was born in
the early AD, according to legend, Mary miraculously became pregnant and gave birth to
him. Jesus is an intelligent man. Based on the Bible and existing research, we can know a
few points about the life of Jesus as follows:
 Jesus is a Jew.
 Lived in the early 1st century AD.
 About 30 years old, he began to preach and preach for about 3 years.
 Acquiring and training 12 people to become Holy Apostles. Peter is the great apostle.
 Being hated by the elements of Judaism.
 After being found guilty of "treason against Rome", was crucified.
 After Jesus died, Christianity was born.

The Development of Christianity

 Christianity in antiquity:
This was the period when Christianity appeared and was active in the Jewish
community but was attacked by Judaism and persecuted by the Roman government. In the
second century, the aristocracy gradually adopted Christianity, changing its position and
influence, by the end of the second century, Christianity became the state religion of the
Roman Empire.

 Christianity in the Middle Ages:

Christianity dominated all aspects of the economic, political, cultural, and social life
of many feudal European countries. The process of expanding the influence of Christianity
has caused many conflicts, bitter conflicts between Christianity and Judaism and Islam with
cruel and bloody Crusades. Even within Christianity, there was a sharp and drastic
contradiction that led to the first division of Christianity in 1054 into 2 factions: Catholicism
- the largest power in the West of Rome. Orthodoxy in the Roman East.

 Christianity in the pre-modern period:

By the sixteenth century, the birth and development of the bourgeoisie and the
capitalist mode of production had appeared demanding Christian reform. With the reforms
of Martin Luther (1483-1546) and John Calvary (1509 - 1546) gave rise to the reformed
Church called Protestant. At the same time, the King of England separated Catholicism in
England from the direction of the Pope and founded Anglicanism. Today, Christianity has
more than 400 different lines of which there are 4 major branches: Catholicism, Orthodoxy,
Protestantism, and Anglicanism.

1. Overview of Catholicism
1.1. Worshiper

Catholics worship the Triune God consisting of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Although they are three separate Persons, the same God is the same substance and
authority in the Mystery of the Trinity (United Trinity).

1.2. Catholic doctrine

The Bible, according to the church's concept, is " The teachings of God " and is a
collection of 73 books divided into 2 sets of New and Old Testaments. The Bible was
originally transmitted orally among the people. In the 2nd century, it started to be written on
goatskin, from the 4th to 6th centuries, it was written on papyrus, and in the 7th century, it
was written into a book. The Bible is a treasure trove of history and literary classics. The
Bible includes all the views and ideas of the doctrines and creeds of Christianity. This
system of doctrine was formed and supplemented over the centuries.

The Old Testament is the historical and also the bible of Judaism, consisting of 46
books, divided into 3 categories: History books; Poetry books; Book of prophecy. The
content of the Old Testament is about God's creation of the universe and man; On Jewish
heritage, Jewish laws, customs, and cultural traditions; About the Kings and the Jews from
the founding of the nation to its disintegration.

The New Testament consists of 27 books, divided into 4 categories: the Gospels (also
known as the Gospels); the Book of Acts; The Book of the Holy Scriptures, and the Book of
Revelation. The content tells about the life, career, teachings, and instructions on the
doctrine of Jesus and the Apostles towards people.
 Currently, the Bible is translated into many different languages and is the most
published book in the world. In addition, Catholicism has several other documents such as
papal decrees, and council resolutions, which are in principle as valid as catechesis. In daily
life, from the Old Testament and the New Testament, Catholics compile two types of
prayers: Prayers and Prayers for all believers to pray.

In Catholic doctrine, there are five basic dogmas:

 God and God's world creation.

 Man and his fall.
 Jesus and the work of redemption.
 Jesus' return and final judgment.
 Heaven and Hell, Angels and Demons.

2. Some main contents about laws and rituals

2.1. Laws, rituals:
From the very beginning, the Catholic Church has built up a system of ritual laws that
are quite specific and are uniformly implemented on a worldwide scale. Previously, the
ceremonial and institutional laws of the Church were contained in the Canon Code of Canon
Law (published in 1917), which consisted of 2,000 articles. On 2511983 the Catholic
Church promulgated a new code of canon law to replace the Canon Code of Canon Law
called the 1983 Code of Canon Law, which includes 1,752 articles divided into 7 volumes.
2.1.1. The Ten Commandments of God (given by God to Moses, the father of the
Jewish people, and engraved in stone to serve as the law governing the Jewish people):
1. Worship God above all things.
2. Do not use God's name to do trivial things.
3. Spend Sunday Worshiping God.
4. Respect your parents.
5. Do not kill people.
6. Not to commit adultery.
7. Not to cheat to steal from others.
8. Not to bear false witness to conceal deception.
9. Not to covet another's wife (or husband).
10. Not to covet illegal wealth.
2.2.2. The Six Commandments of the Church:
1. Observe Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.
2. Abstain from mortification on Sunday.
3. Confess sins once a year.
4. Receive Mass for the Easter season.
5. Fast on prescribed days.
6 Abstain from eating meat on specified days.
2.1.3. Seven Sacraments: A Catholic rite in which God's grace is given to the
faithful. In the rites, sacraments are the most important expressing the communication
relationship between man and God.
1. Baptism.
2. Confirmation to strengthen faith in God.
3. The Eucharist, also known as the Eucharist, has bread (made of flour) and wine (made of
wine) representing the body and blood of Jesus. Believers, after confessing and receiving
confession, receive Holy Communion.
4. Sacrament of Confession for those who repent of sins.
5. The sacrament of Holy Orders is only available to bishops and priests who have been
chosen so that they have the priestly power to shepherd the people of God.
6. Matrimony is a sacrament that unites two believers, a man and a woman, into husband and
wife before God.
7. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of spiritual and physical support
for the sick, helping believers to prepare themselves for death.
2.2 Catholic Feasts:
Each religion that forms and develops in addition to building a system of ritual rules
also chooses the holidays of the year associated with the formation and development of that
religion in order to build and nurture faith. for the dignitaries. Associated with the history of
formation in a year Catholicism also has many holidays. These holidays are calculated
according to the solar calendar, each holiday has its own meaning and is performed with
different rites.
2.2.1 Important holidays:
 The Feast of the Nativity of Jesus (Lễ Chúa Giê-su giáng sinh), also known as
Christmas (Noel), is celebrated on December 25. This is one of the most important
Catholic holidays that commemorates Jesus Christ. was born in Bethlehem in the Jewish
state of Judea (today a city of Palestine). The holiday is officially celebrated on
December 25, but is usually celebrated from the evening of December 24 because
according to the Jewish calendar, the beginning of the day is at sunset, not midnight. The
official December 25th ceremony is known as the 'main day' ceremony, and the
December 24 night celebration is called the 'vespers' and usually attracts more attendees.
 Christmas celebration at Bùi Chu Church
 Easter (Lễ Phục sinh), celebrates the resurrection of Jesus on a day in April (the first
Sunday after the full moon - the full moon of the month following the spring
equinox). This is the celebration of the day Jesus rose again after being crucified and
dying on the Cross is considered one of the most important holidays of the year for
Catholics. Easter is also used to refer to a season of the Catholic liturgical year called the
Easter Season, which lasts exactly 50 days from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. Easter is the
celebration of spring and the celebration of rebirth. All things leap for a new life, an
eternal and immortal life.
 Feast of the Ascension of Jesus (Lễ Chúa Giê-su lên trời): It is a Christian holiday that
takes place 40 days after Easter. According to the New Testament, when Jesus rose again
He stayed with His disciples for 40 days and then ascended to heaven to end His
presence among mortals. The Feast of the Assumption of Jesus is a festival for Christians
to remember Jesus. Jesus leaves the apostles but only in a visible sense. He is always
ready to go with the Church that continues to be invisible to act in the
Church. Furthermore, deep in the minds of Christians this "separation" is only temporary
because Jesus will return.
 Feast of Pentecost (Lễ Chúa Thánh thần hiện xuống) (in some places it is called
Pentecost Pentecost) It is celebrated 10 days after the day of the Ascension of
Jesus. People celebrate this holiday with the meaning that this is the occasion when the
Holy Spirit comes down to bring faith in life and good signs.
 Feast of the Maria of the body and soul to heaven (Lễ Đức bà Maria hồn và xác lên
trời): This is the oldest of the Catholic Marian feasts, which are celebrated on August 15
 and an important holiday because they believe that when Mary died, the soul and body of
the person died. was taken to heaven.
 Feast of All Saints (Lễ các Thánh) is a solemn ceremony held on November 1 every
year to honor all Christian saints who are enjoying their blessings in Heaven, following
the saints' example so that mankind can always think of doing good deeds. preach the
good news...
The six important feasts mentioned above and the weekly Sunday Mass are also
known as the Feast of Obligation because all believers are required to attend to strengthen
their faith with the desire to receive many graces from God.
2.2.2 Ordinary ceremonies:
In addition to solemnities as in Catholicism, there are other ordinary holidays that are
not obligatory by the church, but believers still attend fervently to enjoy many
blessings. Specifically like:
 Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Lễ Đức Mẹ Vô nhiễm Nguyên tội): Celebrated
on December 8 every year as one of the most popular feasts in honor of the Virgin
Maria.
 Ash (Lễ Tro) (beginning of Lent): This is a festival organized by the Church to
commemorate the preparation of Jesus to enter Jerusalem, where the Lord preached to
his disciples about death that man after death returns to the body after death. ashes, but
the soul will last forever.
 Palm Sunday (Lễ Lá): On the first Sunday of Holy Week is celebrated to commemorate
the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, which is welcomed by the people scattering leaves
on the streets.
 Holy Week (Tuần Thánh) : From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday celebrates Jesus'
crucifixion and resurrection. During Holy Week there are special feasts such as the
Consecration of the Blessed Sacrament on Thursday, the Feast of the Crucifixion on
Friday, Easter Vigil on Easter Saturday, on Sunday.
 Feast of Saints Phêrô và Phaolô (Lễ Thánh Tông đồ Phêrô và Phaolô): Celebrated on
June 29 every year in memory of two saints Phê rô and Phaolô, one was one of the first
disciples of Jesus, Saint Phê rô, the other was the Apostle to the Gentiles. for all peoples
called Saint Phaolô.
 Prayer for the Souls (Lễ cầu nguyện cho các linh hồn): Celebrated on November 2
every year.
Ngoài ra Giáo hội Công giáo còn chia một năm thành từng tháng, từng mùa để làm
chủ đích cho các sinh hoạt tôn giáo và các hoạt động cho tín đồ, như tháng 3 là Tháng Kính
Thánh cả Giu-se, tháng năm là tháng Dâng hoa kính Đức Mẹ Maria, tháng sáu là tháng kính
Trái tim của Chúa Giê-su, tháng 11 là tháng cầu nguyện cho các linh hồn, tháng 10 là tháng
Mân côi Đức mẹ; Mùa Giáng sinh từ Lễ Sinh nhật chúa Giê-su đến chủ nhật sau ngày 6
tháng 11, mùa vọng từ 30 tháng 11 đến lễ Giáng sinh…
3. Organizational Structure
3.1. Roman Curia
 The Roman Curia is the whole group of administrators (Cardinal Prefects) who head
up their departments (congregations, tribunals, and so on), working together as the right
hand of the pope. The pope governs through the Roman Curia, something like cabinet
members who assist the president or department ministers who assist the prime minister.
The Roman Curia is the group of various Vatican bureaus that assist the pope in the
day-to-day exercise of his primatial jurisdiction over the Roman Catholic church. The result
of a long evolution from the early centuries of Christianity, the Curia was given its modern
form by Pope Sixtus V late in the 16th century.
The work of the Curia has traditionally been associated with the members of the

Sacred College of Cardinals, acting either as a body or individually as administrators in the

various bureaus.
3.1.1. Secretariat of State (Phủ Quốc Vụ Khanh)

The Secretariat of State is the oldest dicastery in the Roman Curia, the central papal
governing bureaucracy of the Catholic Church. It is headed by the Cardinal Secretary of
State and performs all the political and diplomatic functions of the Holy See. The Secretariat
is divided into three sections, the Section for General Affairs, the Section for Relations with
States, and, since 2017, the Section for Diplomatic Staff.
3.1.2. Congregation (Bộ)
The Congregation is responsible for safeguarding the doctrine of faith and morals,
examining matters of doctrine, promoting catechesis, and promoting studies and conferences
on this subject. The Congregation also evaluates the opinions of theologians, condemning
theories deemed false, after consulting with the bishops concerned. Authors have the right to
defend themselves. This Congregation is responsible for administering the Pontifical
Biblical Commission and the Theological Commission. The Congregation divided into 9
parts:
1. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
2. Congregation for the Oriental Churches
3. Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
4. Congregation for the Causes of Saints
5. Congregation for Bishops
6. Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
 7. Congregation for the Clergy
8. Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
9. Congregation for Catholic Education

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

3.1.3. Apostolic Tribunals (Tòa án Giáo hoàng)
The Apostolic Tribunals is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church (apart
from the pope himself, who as supreme ecclesiastical judge is the final point of appeal for
any ecclesiastical judgment). In addition, it oversees the administration of justice in the
church.
- Apostolic Penitentiary
- Apostolic Signature
- Roman Rota

Apostolic Penitentiary
3.1.4. Pontifical Councils (Hội đồng Giáo hoàng)
 The pontifical council is a mid-sized department or dicastery of the Roman Curia, the
central organization responsible for assisting the pope in the governance and oversight of
Catholic Church. Such a council has a cardinal or archbishop as its president and is restricted
in its activities in comparison with the larger parts of the Curia.

Pontifical Council for the Laity

- Pontifical Council for the Laity
- Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
- Pontifical Council for the Family
- Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace
- Pontifical Council “Cor Unum”
- Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples
- Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers
- Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
- Pontifical Council for the Interreligious Dialogue
- Pontifical Council for the Culture
- Pontifical Council for the Social Communications
3.1.5. Offices
- Apostolic Camera
- Administration of the Patrimony of Apostolic See
- Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
 Administration of the Patrimony of Apostolic See
3.1.6. The other Offices
- Prefecture of the Papal Household
- Office for Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff
- Vatican Press Office
- Vatican Information Service
- Central Statistics Office

Prefecture of the Papal Household

3.17. Commissions (Uỷ ban Giáo hoàng)
- Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church
- Pontifical Commission for Archeology
- Pontifical Biblical Commission
- Pontifical Commission "Eclessia Dei"
- International Theological Commission.
- Pontifical Commission for International Eucharistic Congresses
- Pontifical Commission for the Faculty of History

Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church

3.2. Diocese
Also known as particular churches or local churches. Dioceses are under the authority
of a Bishop, They are described as ecclesiastical districts defined by geographical territory.
Dioceses are often grouped by the Holy See into ecclesiastical provinces for greater
cooperation and common action among regional dioceses.
The local bishop runs the diocese. He’s not an ambassador of the pope but governs
the local diocese as an authentic successor of the apostles, just as the pope governs the
universal Church as the successor of St. Peter.
The pope appoints the bishops, and they must make a visit to the Holy Father every
five years and give a report on their particular diocese. The rest of the time, the bishop goes
around the diocese confirming adults and teenagers, ordaining men to the diaconate (the
office of deacon), and ordaining men to the priesthood once a year. Only bishops have the
authority to administer the Sacrament of Holy Orders whereby men are ordained deacons,
priests, or bishops. Bishops make pastoral visits to the parishes and chair numerous meetings
with their staff. A bishop is like a pastor of an extra-large parish.
3.3. Parish
The parish is the last legal entity of the Church. The head of the parish is a parish
priest appointed by the diocesan bishop and under the authority of the diocesan bishop. In
the absence of priests, it is possible for a priest to govern many parishes; A parish can have
many parishes, in the case of many priests, a priest can oversee one or more parishes. In
addition, there are also intermediate levels of union, including: Provincial, District.
 3.4. Hierarchy of the Church:
The clergy in Catholicism are formed according to a clear hierarchy, with three sacred
orders such as: Bishop, Priest and Deacon . In addition, there are other titles such as
Cardinal, Archbishop, Monsignor.
 Pope: The Pope has many names such as Cardinal, Pope, successor of Saint Peter, the
representative of Jesus on earth, the supreme pastor of all Catholics. The Pope has
supreme, total and direct authority over the Church from the Vatican Curia to the
local local Churches.
 College of Cardinals and College of Cardinals: Cardinals are titles, ranked right after
the Pope. Cardinals from around the world form the College of Cardinals, which is
responsible for electing the Pope and helping the Pope govern the church (cardinals
over the age of 80 cannot elect a pope).
 Archbishop: A bishop who heads the archdioceses.
 Bishops: Those who are entrusted with the care of a diocese, having full religious
authority in that diocese, are called Metropolitan Bishops; In a diocese there may be a
coadjutor bishop or an auxiliary bishop assisting the diocese.
 Priests: There are diocesan priests who are pastoral caretakers in parishes or work at
the bishopric and religious priests who work in religious orders.
 Deacon: There are temporary deacons and permanent deacons. Temporary deacons
are those who are aiming for the priesthood (i.e. those who have completed the
training program at major seminaries waiting to be ordained to the priesthood), and
permanent deacons are those who are not aiming for the priesthood. item. Permanent
deacons can be married people, but after ordination, if the wife dies, they can no
longer marry.
 The clergy of Catholicism in general are very important, who are on behalf of God to
govern the activities of the Church; As the spiritual Father, the spiritual Father is
indispensable in the daily religious activities of Catholics.

4. Architecture and Art of the Catholic Church

4.1 Catholic Church Architecture
The architecture of early Catholic churches (built in the late 19th century and early
20th century) in the Northern Delta region has a clear interference between Western church
architecture and traditional Vietnamese architecture. Therefore, they have outstanding
artistic values, clearly reflecting the cultural interference between Vietnam and the West in
this period. The churches are often built in the center of the population, with spacious
grounds and beautiful views, thus forming an architectural highlight and contributing to the
beautification of the area's landscape.
Some typical churches:
4.1.1. Phat Diem Church (Ninh Binh)
The complex of Phat Diem Cathedral was built by priest Tran Luc, started in 1875
and completed in 1898. The complex includes Phuong Dinh, the large church and 4 small
churches, including the Church of Our Lady built. Phuong Dinh is actually a 25m high bell
tower built of slate but has the appearance of a Tam Quan in traditional Vietnamese
architecture. The roof is tiled, the outer part is supported by a wood-painted subsystem, and
the corners of the roof are curved to form a blade with the form of a pure Vietnamese roof.
On the top of the small tower there are 4 holy statues, but from the posture to the contours,
they all look like statues in ancient Vietnamese temples.
The large church has a rectangular floor plan of 74m long, including 10
compartments divided into three parts: the reception hall, the space for parishioners to
celebrate and the sanctuary where the mass is celebrated. The double-layer roof in the form
of a match-stacked roof is based on the sets of stacks of bamboo - gong racks supporting the
roof with 9 rows of ironwood columns that are very close to the structure of Vietnamese
pagodas and communal houses. The interior of the church is imbued with traditional
Vietnamese architecture with the area of the Holy Palace painted with gold paint, the altar is
made of a monolithic stone carved with traditional floral motifs symbolizing the four
seasons.

The Church of Our Lady was built entirely of stone with the size of 15.3×8.5×6m, so
it is often called the Stone Church. The main façade of the church consists of a statue of Our
Lady in the middle with a centerpiece of a pierced heart-shaped relief with intricately carved
traditional motifs, two towers on either side having similar contours to Tower Pen in Hoan
Kiem Lake, Hanoi. The interior is structured in marble with a gentle and elegant layout with
lotus-shaped carvings, Mai - Truc - Cuc - Tung... converging the quintessence of
Vietnamese stone carving art.
Phat Diem Cathedral complex can be considered as the most unique church in
Vietnam when it brings images of pure Vietnamese traditional temple architecture into a
Christian work of Western origin, a symbol of of the meeting between Catholicism and
traditional beliefs of the Vietnamese people, the cultural interference between Vietnam and
France.
4.1.2. Hieu Thuan Church (Ninh Binh)
Church of Hieu Thuan Origin was built in 1889 in Khanh Mau commune, Yen Khanh
district, Ninh Binh province in pure Vietnamese style. The floor plan of the church is
rectangular, 34.3m long, 10.6m wide, including 9 compartments, 5 spans, starting with a
small reception space, followed by a space for parishioners and ending with the Palace.
There is a small room behind the sanctuary where preparation for the celebration of Masses
is made. The main facade of the church is arranged into five blocks, 3 floors high,
corresponding to 5 compartments in the interior, the central block is highlighted by the

height and decorative forms such as the cross on the roof top, the gilded board with letters.
Write the name of the church. The form of the facade has the shape of Tam Quan in
Vietnamese pagodas with three entrances, the upper floors are shaped like tiled roofs, the
roof corners are curved in the style of a knife.
The entire main structure of the church is made of wood, the rows of tall ironwood
columns support the truss-type truss - gong rack, the double-layer tile roof with match-stack
style with a row of glass doors between the two roof layers. for the space inside the church
to be filled with natural light. The side walls are formed by wooden sliding doors that can be
partially or fully opened when needed, as in ancient temples.
The interior of the church stands out with the sanctuary area completely carved in
wood, painted in gold, inspired by Baroque architecture with columns in the shape of
classical styles, in the middle is a semicircular Fronton. The entire wall of the sanctuary is
filled with decorative motifs of striking yellow flowers and leaves on a red lipstick
background, covering pictures and statues of Our Lady holding the baby Jesus.
4.1.3. Hai Giap Church (Nam Dinh)
The church of Hai Giap was built in 1906 on the territory of Hai Anh commune, Hai
Hau district, in Bui Chu diocese (Nam Dinh province). This is a typical form of a mixed
South and West church (a combination of traditional Vietnamese architectural styles and
Western church styles) in the early typical period.
The church space is created by 8 rows of wooden columns supporting the truss set
combined with 4 surrounding brick walls. Although the main structural system of the church
is a pure Vietnamese wooden structure, the surrounding walls give the church the
appearance of a Neo-Gothic style church.
The main facade of the church is structured with 5 spans ascending from the outside
to the center, inspired by Italian Gothic churches, suitable for 5 interior compartments. The
walls are elaborately decorated with motifs, doors, and solid hollow patches. The central
block is distinguished by its height and decorative motifs and is terminated by two vertical
crosses.

The interior of the church is distinguished by rows of columns supporting elaborately carved
wooden trusses, but completely unpainted to reveal the raw wood. Particularly, the area of
the sanctuary is painted with gold paint with many sophisticated motifs surrounding the
colored paintings of the saints, notably the picture of the mother holding the baby Jesus in
the center.
Basic features of the architectural heritage of early Catholic churches in the Northern
Delta:
 Unlike churches in big cities built in the European church style, roughly called
Western churches, early Catholic churches in the Northern Delta countryside were
mainly inspired by from traditional Vietnamese architecture, so it is also known as the
Southern Church. However, Southern churches are also divided into two categories:

 Pure Southern style is often seen in churches built in the late 19th century with
wooden structures in the traditional Vietnamese style. The main face is built in the
style of a three-way gate, the roof is tiled with curved blades on top with pure
Vietnamese decorative motifs. The bell tower is not attached to the facade but is often
separated from the building;

 Mixed style is common in churches built in the early 20th century. The main
structural system is still the traditional wooden structure, combined with surrounding
brick walls. The main face is European church style with the highlight of the towering
bell tower and Western decorative motifs.

 The Catholic Church is not only a place of spiritual activities but also a place of
community activities for local parishioners, a place to nurture moral and human
 values of the people, with many functional features. similar to the communal house of
the Vietnamese people. Therefore, the influence of traditional architecture on early
Catholic church architecture is very clear.

4.2. Catholic Church Art

The church is first the home of the local Christian Community, and then the home of
all the Christians who are meeting there. Therefore, it is natural for the church to become the
image of the community it receives, as the spatial extension and physical expression of this
community. It reflects to those inside as well as to those outside the image of the Church at a
given place and time.
For those outside the Church, in a pagan environment, the church is the home of the
faithful. In the Middle Ages, the church became the center of human and religious
community. It is the property of society as well as of the Church, a symbol of the culture and
ideals of the community, a privileged place of art. In modern, diverse and secularized
society, the external image that the church has inherited from the past no longer has the same
meaning. It is not a place that needs to be or be listed as a cultural heritage or be certified as
a tourist destination to bring higher income for local people. This image needs to be
confirmed according to the face that the
Church wants to give to the world around

her. So often it needs to be changed.

5. Catholicism in Vietnam
5.2. Organizational structure
The Vietnam Bishops' Conference is an organization of all bishops who are
performing pastoral duties in dioceses in Vietnam. The organizational structure of the
Vietnam Bishops' Conference includes a Standing Committee (no number specified), with
the following titles: President, one or more Vice Presidents, General Secretary, one or more
Deputy Secretary Generals (The Deputy Secretary-General may be a priest). There are 17
committees led by bishops such as Episcopal Commission on Doctrine, on Divine Worship,
on Sacred Music and Arts, on Clergy and Seminarians, on Religious, on Laity, on Sacred
Scripture. , on Culture, on Evangelization… The term of office of the Episcopal Conference
is 3 years. Since its establishment, the Vietnam Bishops' Conference has passed 14 terms.
Currently, it is the 14th term (2019-2022), with 17 Commissions, 46 bishops, and 2
Cardinals.
Vietnamese Catholics currently have 03 provinces with 27 dioceses: Hà Nội Catholic
Church has 11 dioceses: Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, Lạng Sơn, Bắc Ninh, Hưng Hoá, Bùi Chu, Phát
Diệm, Thái Bình, Thanh Hoá, Vinh and Hà Tĩnh. The Church of Huế Province has 6
dioceses: Huế, Đà Nẵng, Qui Nhơn, Nha Trang, Kon Tum, and Buôn Mê Thuột. The Church
of Sài Gòn has 10 dioceses: Archdiocese of Hồ Chí Minh City, Diocese of Vĩnh Long, Cần
Thơ, Mỹ Tho, Đà Lạt, Long Xuyên, Phú Cường, Xuân Lộc, Phan Thiết, and Bà Rịa.
Besides the administrative organization that governs the activities of the Church such as
diocese and parish, Catholicism also has a system of religious orders. In Vietnam, there are
many Catholic religious orders, according to 2018 statistics of the Religious Committee, the
Vietnam Bishops' Conference has 285 religious orders, of which 76 are currently licensed by
competent state agencies. the right to grant operation registration and approval for
establishment.
Vietnamese Catholic currently has 11 training institutions, including Vietnam
Catholic Academy; St. Joseph's Seminary in Hà Nội; Major Seminary of Our Lady of the
Immaculate Conception Bùi Chu (Nam Định); Thái Bình Sacred Heart Seminary (Thái
Bình); Vinh Thanh Major Seminary (Nghệ An); Huế Grand Seminary (Thừa Thiên Huế);
Sao Biển Major Seminary - Nha Trang (Khánh Hòa); Saint Joseph's Seminary in Hồ Chí
Minh City; Saint Joseph Xuân Lộc Seminary (Đồng Nai); Campus II Saint Joseph Xuân Lộc
Seminary in Đà Lạt (Lâm Đồng); Saint Quý Major Seminary (Cần Thơ).
 Vietnamese Catholicism is a religion that actively participates in the fields of health,
education, charity, and humanitarianism. In the past time, along with religious
activities, the Catholic Church has promoted activities such as establishing
kindergartens; organizing love and cultural enrichment classes for disadvantaged,
homeless children, poor and uneducated children, and children with disabilities;
setting up a study promotion fund to support and encourage poor students and
students to give scholarships to students; opening humanitarian clinics, facilities for
raising poor children, taking care of the elderly alone, disabled, leprosy, Agent
Orange victims, HIV-AIDS; building inter-village roads, bridges and water plants for
poor people in remote areas... these are important contributions of Catholics to the
construction and development of the country.

5.1. The process of evangelization and development

 The process of spreading Catholicism into Vietnam began in the first decades of the
16th century (1533), but in fact, it was not until the beginning of the 17th century that
propaganda activities were organized in a large-scale and effective manner. The process of
missionary and religious development in Vietnam can be divided into four main stages: the
period of formation from the early 16th century to 1884; The period from 1885 to 1945 (The
period of French colonial rule until the establishment of the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam); The third period from 1945-1975 (The period of resistance against the French
colonialists and the American imperialists); The fourth phase from 1975 to present (The
period after the unification of the country, the whole country carried out the construction and
development of the country in the direction of socialism).

Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang (Diocese of Hue), Quang Tri Province

Catholicism was introduced into Vietnam, making many positive contributions to the
country's culture and society. However, during the resistance war against the French
colonialists and the American imperialists, a small number of Catholic believers and
dignitaries were taken advantage of by imperial forces, affecting the State-Church
relationship.
After 1975, when the two countries, the North and the South, collected one term, the
Churches of the two regions had many favorable conditions for reunification. In 1980, the
Bishops' Conference of Vietnam held its first congress and issued a historic Joint Letter with
the direction of "Living the Gospel in the heart of the nation to serve the happiness of the
compatriots". The 1980 Joint Letter of the Bishops' Conference of Vietnam expresses the
feelings and responsibilities of Catholics towards the country: Loving the Fatherland and
compatriots towards Catholics is not only a must-have natural feeling but also a requirement.
question of the Gospel. The 1980 Joint Letter also defined the task of building a new
religious life and an expression of faith by the national cultural tradition.
Vietnamese Catholic has more than 3,000 parishes; as of early 2021, there are 46 bishops,
nearly 6000 priests; about 200 religious orders, congregations, and associations with more
than 31,000 men and women religious, over 7 million followers.

6. The general program of the director in Nam Định province

Nam Định is known for having the most powerful director in the country. According
to historical books, Nam Định was the place where the first Catholic professors came to the
North of Vietnam (in 1533 there were the first missionaries to Việt Nam, and the first
missionaries arrived in Việt Nam). These are: Trà Lũ (present-day Phú Nhai area), Quần
Anh (this area is Quần Phương) and Ninh Cương are all lands belonging to the Bùi Chu
diocese located in Nam Định province. This is not only the first started in Việt Nam Taoism
is spread, this place is also famous as the land of beautiful old Gothic houses, preserving
many cultural values along with a large number of graphics. and many special great Church
holidays throughout the year. Catholicism in the province includes the entire Bùi Chu
diocese and a part of the Hà Nội diocese. Bùi Chu Diocese belongs to 6 districts (Xuân
Trường, Giao Thủy, Hải Hậu, Nghĩa Hưng, Trực Ninh, Nam Trực) and a part of Nam Định
city (with Phong Lộc parish and Khoái Đồng parish). An education department in Hà Nội is
located in Nam Định city and Vũ Bản, Mỹ Lộc, and Ý Yên districts.

Phú Nhai Church (Bùi Chu Diocese)

 Nam Định Cathedral (Diocese of Hà Nội)

Currently, the province has 172 parish churches, 492 family churches; there are 01
Bishop, 250 Priests (in which: Bùi Chu Diocese: 01 Bishop, 225 Priests; Hà Nội Diocese: 25
Priests); 473,051 educated population (in which: Bùi Chu diocese: 405,256; Hà Nội diocese:
67,795; accounting for nearly 25% of the province's population); The 6 religious orders are
the Dominicans, the Rosary, the Visiting, the Trinh Vương, the Cross Lovers (belonging to
Bùi Chu Diocese) and the Cross Lovers (belonging to Hà Nội Diocese) with 35 grassroots
orders, over 800 nuns; There was Director Bùi Chu and the University of Our Lady to check
Bùi Chu.
Khoái Đồng Church (Bùi Chu diocese)

In general, in the past years, Catholic dignitaries and beliefs in the area have always
promoted and well implemented the motto "good life, good religion", abiding by the
guidelines, guidelines, policies, and laws of the State. on the fields of social life in general,
beliefs and religions in particular; carry out religious activities and activities by the law,
actively participate in charity and humanitarian activities, and patriotic emulation
movements launched by the locality.