When planning a trip to My Tho, most people choose Cai Be floating market, Thoi Son islet or Vinh Trang pagoda… as a destination, but forget a famous Catholic architectural work that is more than 100 years old, which is the Roman Catholic Diocese of My Tho.
General information about the Roman Catholic Diocese
Construction of the Roman Catholic Diocese began on August 11, 1906, under the supervision of Bishop Régnier on the platform of the old church. After many restorations and re-named, on November 24, 1960, Pope John XXIII officially issued the Decree “Venerabillium Nostrorum”, and the Roman Catholic Diocese was formally separated from the Saigon Diocese. In 2007, on the church’s 100th anniversary, Bishop James Ha Van Chung restored and expanded it. He also repaired the tiled roof, rebuilt the sacristy, renovated the bell tower and placed the Cross on the church grounds.
Despite many ups and downs, My Tho Cathedral has become a pilgrimage destination where a large number of parishioners from across the country gather together on major and important occasions of the year.
Architecture of Roman Catholic Diocese of My Tho
Because it was built on muddy ground, the height of My Tho Cathedral had to be lowered to ensure safety. Currently, the church is 24m high, 53m long and more than 17m wide, including a main compartment and two auxiliary compartments on both sides. The church was built according to the Greek-Roman Renaissance style with round columns supporting the dome, decorated with meticulous, sophisticated and elaborate patterns.
Continuing inside, you will definitely be surprised at the airy space of the cathedral. Using the main white colour tone, the interior of My Tho Cathedral creates a sense of airiness, spaciousness and luxury with the floor completely lined with smooth ceramic tiles. Meanwhile, the ceiling area is adorned with gorgeous European chandeliers.
The arched door is adorned with sophisticated patterns following the Greek-Roman architectural style of the Renaissance. The sanctuary of My Tho Cathedral features the main colour yellow, white edges and a red-tile roof. This conveys majesty and antiquity while demonstrating the parish’s steadfast, well-developed beauty after more than 100 years of formation.
Pastor Paul Nguyen Minh Chieu has moved the bell to the high southern tower. Later, Pastor Giuse Chuc rebuilt another bell tower separate from the church. This is also the current bell tower the church uses to announce service hours or important occasions.
- Address: 32 Hung Vuong, My Tho ward, Dong Thap.
- Best for: solo, family, students.
- Entrance: Free
- Tourist spots nearby: Vinh Trang Pagoda, Thoi Son Islet, Tan Thanh Beach, Cai Be Floating Market, Cai Be Church, Mr. Kiet Ancient House, ancient house of Mr Le Quang Xoat….
Source: collected by An
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