Since the Catholic Church in Vietnam was established at the beginning of the 16th century, it was the first time of our Lady Mary of La vang appeared, helping the Christians to overcome the very difficult circumstance under Canh Thinh Emperor of Tay Son Dynasty.
At that time, the Catholic missionaries from Italy, Portugal, Japan and France, preached to Vietnamese. With religious feelings of people, the number of Catholics increased considerably over the past few years. The followers were not only farmers but also relatives of the royal family. And hundreds of Catholic villages (parish) established under the management of a foreigner priest and diocese in North and South Vietnam set up.
For fearing the damage of his power, the Canh Thinh Emperor issued an anti-Catholic command and had implemented the religious prohibition strictly in 1798. The new born Christians from parishes of Dinh Cat, Tri Buu, Thach Han came to Lavang forest to hide in the jungle. Although facing with illness, hunger and fear, the community gathered under the huge banyan trees to pray the rosary. One night, the Virgin Mary wearing Vietnamese traditional dress (ao dai) holding the infant Jesus Christ, appeared. Our Lady had comforted them and believed to God solidly. And asked them to take leaves from the trees as medicine to treat the illness. The Lady Mary again promised: “I have accepted all your asking, from now onwards, who comes this place to pray, I will receive and give blessing as their will”
In memory of the blessing of Our Lady of La Vang, the initial Christians started a small church made with bamboo and leaf to have a place for glorying Our Lady of La Vang and praying.
With full grace of God presented through Our Lady of La Vang, La Vang Holy Shrine attracted millions of people per year that are coming to pray and even pilgrims, specially, at the Mid of August and Lunar New Year when the liturgy of Mary into Heaven is celebrated.
Most of the Vietnamese, specially Quang Tri people had received miracles from the Lady like rescued from serious disease, returned to the faith, received peace, give up the evils or bad practice…One visible miracle is that: the holy shrine and 3 cement banyan trees also stood in peace during the bombing in 1972, when every temples, houses, villages destroyed even big churches in front of the statue of Our Lady La Vang.
In 1961, the Holy Shrine of La Vang was become the National Marian Center of Vietnam, and Pope John XXIII elevated the Church of La Vang to the rank of Basilica. Pope John Paul II expressed his will publicly to pilgrim of La Vang in 200th anniversary of Our Lady first appearance.
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