Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle Arrives in Vietnam to Preside Over the Beatification of Father Francis …

Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle Arrives in Vietnam to Preside Over the Beatification of Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep

Vietnam – Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Papal Legate appointed by Pope Leo XIV and Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, has arrived in Vietnam to prepare for the Beatification Mass of Servant of God Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep. The event marks a historic milestone for the Catholic Church in Vietnam, as it will be the first beatification ceremony ever celebrated on Vietnamese soil.

The Beatification Mass is scheduled to take place on July 2, 2026, at the Tac Say Pilgrimage Center in the Diocese of Can Tho. More than 70,000 bishops, priests, religious, faithful, and pilgrims from across Vietnam and abroad are expected to participate in the solemn celebration. Local authorities, together with the Diocese of Can Tho, have implemented comprehensive security, traffic, medical, and logistical measures to ensure the event is conducted safely and smoothly.

Father Francis Xavier Truong Buu Diep (1897–1946) is widely revered for sacrificing his life while protecting his parishioners during a time of political turmoil. Following years of careful historical and theological examination, the Holy See approved his beatification, recognizing his heroic witness of faith and opening a new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church in Vietnam.

Cardinal Tagle’s presence underscores the Holy See’s close pastoral concern for the Church in Vietnam and highlights the international significance of the beatification. The celebration is expected to become one of the most important ecclesial events in the country’s modern history, drawing tens of thousands of pilgrims united in prayer, thanksgiving, and joyful anticipation.

Photos: Archdiocese of Hanoi