Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Archdiocese of Hanoi
Hanoi (Fides News Agency) – "The first anniversary of Leo XIV's election as Pope offers all the faithful in Vietnam the opportunity to express their love, obedience, and communion in prayer for our Shepherd. We pray that the Lord may continue to bless and assist the Holy Father so that he may always steadfastly advance in his mission as the Successor of Peter and become a sign of unity, a source of hope, and an instrument of peace for the whole world," Msgr. Joseph Vu Van Thien. Archbishop of Hanoi, a diocese in northern Vietnam, told Fides after the Vietnamese bishops visited the Vatican in recent days and met with the Pope during their ad limina visit. The Archbishop noted that the bishops were “listened to attentively and warmly received by the Pope”: “Away from the formalities, we truly felt at home,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Catholic community expressed their solidarity and affection for Pope Leo XIV at a Mass of thanksgiving on May 4 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi, held ahead of the first anniversary of his election as Pope on May 8. Numerous bishops, priests, religious, and lay faithful gathered for the Mass, praying together “for the Pope’s mission and for peace and unity.”
The Mass in Hanoi was celebrated by Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the Permanent Representative of the Holy See to Vietnam. Among the concelebrants were Cardinal Peter Nguyen Van Nhon, the bishops of the Permanent Council of the Vietnamese Episcopal Conference, the bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Hanoi, and priests from across the region. Before the Mass, Archbishop Joseph Nguyen Nang, President of the Vietnamese Episcopal Conference, addressed the faithful on behalf of the Vietnamese people, expressing his solidarity with Pope Leo. He emphasized the Holy Father's mission to strengthen faith, promote unity, and establish peace based on the power of the Gospel.
The Archbishop also recalled the teaching of Saint Pope Paul VI on the mission of the Church: Christians are present at the heart of the world "not to strive for power, but to humbly and lovingly place themselves at the service of humanity." He wished Pope Leo XIV the grace of the Holy Spirit and expressed his hope that Pope Leo XIV would one day visit Vietnam. Archbishop Marek Zalewski expressed his joy and highlighted Pope Leo XIV's pastoral style, characterized by humility, listening, and closeness. He recalled that "the Pope is not a politician, but a guide in faith, inviting the faithful worldwide to live according to the values of justice and peace spoken of in the Gospel."
In his homily, Bishop Joseph Do Quang Khang of Bac Ninh reported that during the recent meeting at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV thanked the bishops and expressed his desire to visit Vietnam to meet the more than seven million Catholic faithful who, the bishop said, "await the Pope's arrival with impatience and hope." He called him "a loving father of the great human family." The Bishop of Bac Ninh also highlighted Leo XIV's commitment as a "guardian of world peace," a shepherd who "dedicates himself wholeheartedly to the protection of peace." In a spirit of solidarity, Bishop Joseph Do Quang Khang called on all the faithful to "continue to pray for the Holy Father" and asked for prayers that "relations between the Holy See and Vietnam may continue to develop according to God's will and for the better." Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, an American bishop of the Augustinian Order, was elected the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church on May 8, 2025. (PA) (Fides News Agency, 8/5/2026)
