Mang Lang – where the “Cathechismus in octo dies” is preserved

Mang Lang Church is one of the oldest and most famous Catholic structures in Vietnam, located in Tuy An Dong Commune, Dak Lak Province (formerly Tuy An District, Phu Yen Province). Built in 1892 in the European Gothic style, the church is not only a pilgrimage site for the Catholic community but also an attractive cultural and historical destination for domestic and international tourists. In particular, it is known as a place that preserves important traces of the formation and development of the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script.

The Cathechismus in octo dies

The most prominent feature of Mang Lang Church is the exhibition area of ​​the book “Phép giảng tám ngày” (Cathechismus in octo dies) – a work compiled and published by Alexandre de Rhodes in Rome (Italy) in 1651. The book is considered the first prose work printed in Quốc ngữ, reflecting the early stages of the Latin-based writing system for Vietnamese.

The book as a whole consists of 319 pages, presented in a bilingual format: the left column is in Latin; the right column contains the early Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script.

The copy preserved at the church is a valuable reproduction, helping visitors better understand the formation process of the Latin-based Vietnamese writing system, the foundation of the Quốc ngữ script widely used today.

Before the 17th century, the Vietnamese mainly used Chinese characters and Nôm script. The appearance of the “Cathechismus in octo dies” and the linguistic works of Alexandre de Rhodes contributed to the systematization of the phonetic transcription of Vietnamese using the Latin alphabet.

Currently, the version displayed for visitors is a reproduction, housed in a specialized glass case to protect it from dust, humidity, and light. This space also displays numerous sculptures and reliefs recounting the life and faith journey of Blessed Andrew Phu Yen, the young catechist who was martyred and is a symbol of the early period of Catholicism in Vietnam.

For visitors, the “Cathechismus in octo dies” is not only an ancient artifact but also a symbol of the journey of forming the Vietnamese Quốc ngữ script – a writing system that has contributed to the strong development of education, journalism, and culture in Vietnam from the late 19th century to the present day. Therefore, Mang Lang Church is considered a special destination, a place where history, religion, and the nation’s linguistic heritage intersect.